VIDEO: Striking lecturers picket Bradford University (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Union says strike turn out was good - but boss says it will impact on students
10:31am Wednesday 23rd March 2011 in Bradford By Kathie Griffiths
Lecturers, along with librarians and researchers, joined the picket lines at Bradford University Buy this photo »
Striking staff at the University of Bradford who were on the picket lines yesterday over a national pensions row believe their action has made an impact – so far.
Yesterday there were four pickets, three at the main campus and one at the University’s School of Management in Frizinghall in protest against changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension fund.
Dr Gary Slater, of the University and College Union (UCU), said the pickets got a good turnout and many staff and students chose to stay away from the campus as a show of support.
“It’s a lot quieter on campus than it usually it is which shows the strength of feeling and support we’ve got.
“We’ve had students bring us flapjack and biscuits and passing traffic hooting their horns,” he said.
As well as lecturers, it was also librarians and researchers who joined the picket lines.
Tomorrow there will be more strike action over pension changes and job security, and pickets will be joined by UCU members from other colleges and universities.
Dr Slater said: “It’s very worrying. People have expectations when they pay into the scheme and now they stand to lose a lot. Job security is also a concern.
“Our union wants a framework to try to minimise any losses and to try to keep skills and talents.”
Union officials said they shared students’ frustrations that the employers were refusing to come back to the negotiating table.
The National Union of Students has written to the employers urging them to join UCU for talks and to try to avoid strike action.
Bradford is one of 47 English universities where industrial action is taking place.
- Read the full story in Wednesday's T&A
Comments(17)
Moon on a stick
says...
11:51am Wed 23 Mar 11
Archie's Ghost
says...
11:55am Wed 23 Mar 11
I'd laugh if I wasn't one of the idiots paying for this.
vbfg
says...
1:10pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Archie's Ghost wrote:Do you have a source for that quote?
Dr Slater thinks we're going to support people whose packages are so luxuriant the changes could cost them 'up to half a million pounds in benefits'?
I'd laugh if I wasn't one of the idiots paying for this.
bugsy123
says...
1:30pm Wed 23 Mar 11
BD16
says...
1:33pm Wed 23 Mar 11
vbfg wrote:vbfg: From your comments on this and the same story yesterday I assume you are a public sector worker. If my assumption is correct could you please answer the following.
Archie's Ghost wrote: Dr Slater thinks we're going to support people whose packages are so luxuriant the changes could cost them 'up to half a million pounds in benefits'? I'd laugh if I wasn't one of the idiots paying for this.Do you have a source for that quote?
Should taxpayers working in the private sector be expected to subsidise the pensions of those in the public sector when they have seen the value of their own pension shrink in recent years?
I am not accusing you directly but it seems selfish of those who have a subsidised pension tp expect the rest of us to carry on picking up the tab when our own pensions are going down the pan.
It's time they paid for their own retirement like the rest of us have to.
Old Peculiar
says...
1:38pm Wed 23 Mar 11
I'd suggest that those drivers and their horns are not supporting your cause, they are sounding their horns to wake you up from the dream world that you are living in.
Go back into college, and educate our children, which is what you are paid to do.
Mekon
says...
3:50pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Try being a teacher for a week and most people would be on their knees begging to get back behind a computer.
Old Peculiar
says...
4:18pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Mekon wrote:Try working in a factory for a week (or any other establishment where you have to justify your income) and see what response you get there when you ask for a payrise.
Usual Daily mail crap being posted on here I see... "get a real job" "we pay for your pensions" Try being a teacher for a week and most people would be on their knees begging to get back behind a computer.
Mummys little Sunbeam
says...
6:35pm Wed 23 Mar 11
BD16
says...
7:38pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Old Peculiar wrote:"Usual Daily mail crap being posted" Whats wrong with expecting people to provide for their own retirement? The private sector has to do this, why do we need to subsidise the public sector when we can hardly afford our own pensions? If that's Daily Mail crap show me where to sign up.
Mekon wrote: Usual Daily mail crap being posted on here I see... "get a real job" "we pay for your pensions" Try being a teacher for a week and most people would be on their knees begging to get back behind a computer.Try working in a factory for a week (or any other establishment where you have to justify your income) and see what response you get there when you ask for a payrise.
Number Nine
says...
8:55pm Wed 23 Mar 11
BD16 wrote:Mekon is right. The comments from other users on here are unbelievable. What a bunch of selfish, right-wing, reactionary idiots. Good luck to the strikers.
Old Peculiar wrote:"Usual Daily mail crap being posted" Whats wrong with expecting people to provide for their own retirement? The private sector has to do this, why do we need to subsidise the public sector when we can hardly afford our own pensions? If that's Daily Mail crap show me where to sign up.
Mekon wrote: Usual Daily mail crap being posted on here I see... "get a real job" "we pay for your pensions" Try being a teacher for a week and most people would be on their knees begging to get back behind a computer.Try working in a factory for a week (or any other establishment where you have to justify your income) and see what response you get there when you ask for a payrise.
albion
says...
6:27am Thu 24 Mar 11
BD16
says...
9:13am Thu 24 Mar 11
Number Nine wrote:Maybe I should go on strike because public sector workers should be expected to subsidise my work place pension?
BD16 wrote:Mekon is right. The comments from other users on here are unbelievable. What a bunch of selfish, right-wing, reactionary idiots. Good luck to the strikers.Old Peculiar wrote:"Usual Daily mail crap being posted" Whats wrong with expecting people to provide for their own retirement? The private sector has to do this, why do we need to subsidise the public sector when we can hardly afford our own pensions? If that's Daily Mail crap show me where to sign up.Mekon wrote: Usual Daily mail crap being posted on here I see... "get a real job" "we pay for your pensions" Try being a teacher for a week and most people would be on their knees begging to get back behind a computer.Try working in a factory for a week (or any other establishment where you have to justify your income) and see what response you get there when you ask for a payrise.
rant and a rave
says...
3:55pm Thu 24 Mar 11
most of these college lecturers have never worked even 1 day in the real world. School - university - post grad - lecturing, talk about easy life!! work time is only around 2 thirds of the year, with an actual working week of around 25 ~ 30 hours at a push.
Never mind freezing their pensions, take it off them and redistribute it more evenly among the rest of the country. Hang on isn't that left wing commie policy?? :-)
Number Nine
says...
9:09pm Fri 25 Mar 11
rant and a rave wrote:Or just do away with Education altogether, after all who needs it? We can get rid of Schools, Colleges & Universities, save lots of money, and in the process turn the UK into Somalia. That suit you?
the trouble with these left wing commies is they need the right wing capitalist pigs to fund them.
most of these college lecturers have never worked even 1 day in the real world. School - university - post grad - lecturing, talk about easy life!! work time is only around 2 thirds of the year, with an actual working week of around 25 ~ 30 hours at a push.
Never mind freezing their pensions, take it off them and redistribute it more evenly among the rest of the country. Hang on isn't that left wing commie policy?? :-)
Number Nine
says...
9:10pm Fri 25 Mar 11
albion wrote:Spoken like a true selfish b'stard.
And good luck to the selfish right-wing reactionaries.
Old Peculiar says...
10:44am Wed 23 Mar 11
Maybe these protesters are "Those who can't - be arsed"