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21/03/2011
University Staff To Strike Over Pensions
Strike action by university lecturers will affect about 50,000 students in Northern Ireland.
Queen's University and the University of Ulster will be hit by the stoppage, which is over changes to pensions.
Lecturers will also take part in a UK wide stoppage on Thursday.
Their union said the action is unavoidable after the Employers Pension Forum, which represents the universities, rejected talks.
The national president of the University and Colleges Union, Alan Whitaker, said they want to get the employers back into discussions.
He commented: "It is a dispute that can be settled, but we need those negotiations. That's what the strike is planned to do, if we can get the employers talking to us again then we will have achieved what we're trying to do. We're hoping that the strike will be pretty solid at Queen's University and the University of Ulster."
In a statement a University of Ulster spokesperson said: "The proposed strike action in NI on 21/3 and across the UK on 24/3 follows two national ballots on Pay and Pensions. The turnout at the ballot on both of these issues was less than 30% of UCU's membership, at Ulster the turnout was even less. The university anticipates normal business for staff and students on both of the proposed days of action."
(JG/GK)
Queen's University and the University of Ulster will be hit by the stoppage, which is over changes to pensions.
Lecturers will also take part in a UK wide stoppage on Thursday.
Their union said the action is unavoidable after the Employers Pension Forum, which represents the universities, rejected talks.
The national president of the University and Colleges Union, Alan Whitaker, said they want to get the employers back into discussions.
He commented: "It is a dispute that can be settled, but we need those negotiations. That's what the strike is planned to do, if we can get the employers talking to us again then we will have achieved what we're trying to do. We're hoping that the strike will be pretty solid at Queen's University and the University of Ulster."
In a statement a University of Ulster spokesperson said: "The proposed strike action in NI on 21/3 and across the UK on 24/3 follows two national ballots on Pay and Pensions. The turnout at the ballot on both of these issues was less than 30% of UCU's membership, at Ulster the turnout was even less. The university anticipates normal business for staff and students on both of the proposed days of action."
(JG/GK)
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