Strathclyde University workers on strike after “terrible” pension proposal rejected
By Andrew Milligan
Unite calls for University of Strathclyde to “take our concerns seriously” after workers take strike action over disputes about pensions.
Cleaners, plumbers and security staff, who are members of Unite the Union, walked out of the university yesterday due to a change of pension provider.
The strike will last for two weeks and will affect the cleaning and maintenance services as well as security on campus and students’ residence. Technicians will also be involved with strike action which will impact students learning in labs.
These strikes come after the latest proposals were rejected on Friday March 7 by members of Unite.
Alison MacLean, Unite the Union’s Regional Coordinating Officer, said: “We’ve been in dispute for months with the university. We got to a point where we entered formal dispute and we went to Acas in November of last year.
“This has been a long-drawn-out dispute. The strike certainly hasn’t been a knee jerk reaction and we have sat at the table with the employer on many occasions trying to get this dispute resolved.”
Striking workers are currently part of the Strathclyde Pension Fund (SPF) however, if plans proceed, they will be transferred out of the scheme into the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) which will give workers a worse pension.
MacLean added: “Over 70% of our members voted to reject the latest offer from the university and what we want is these proposals taken off the table. We want them scrapped, they are a terrible idea.
“The university do not need to do this. They can come back and talk about other measures that they can put in place.”
Pickets will take place throughout the two-week dispute across the Strathclyde campus such as at the Royal College, Teaching Learning and Technology and Innovation Centre. A rally will also take place on Friday March 14 at 9.30am outside the main campus on Rottenrow Hill.
MacLean says the picket lines were “absolutely strong” and that “seeing the members coming together and showing that solidarity was quite something else. They’ve had enough.”
The university claimed to its workers that they are in financial difficulty but the Unite has disputed this.
“Strathclyde University is one of the employers that is in a better financial position than a lot of their counterparts. They’re certainly not skint, and the attempt now that they are making to do a cash grab on the pension surplus that sits within the Strathclyde Pension fund” says MacLean.
“They need to think again about what they can do to improve their financial position, but it’s certainly not grabbing my members pensions.”
A spokesperson for the University of Strathclyde said: “While we are disappointed Unite members have chosen to take strike action, the university will take all necessary steps to ensure this action has minimal impact on our students, staff and operations. The university remains committed to providing an excellent pension provision to its staff.”
Despite Unite the Union members rejection to the pension offer, Unison members have accepted the latest proposals.
