New strikes at Northumbria

Persisting in their battle against Northumbria University bosses, the University and College Union (UCU) have announced new strikes: 16-17 and 25-27 March, 20-24 April. The UCU plan to hold fast against the management’s plans to freeze the pay of staff who do not move from the (better) Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) to the (worse) Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).

The UCU has put forward alternative proposals to save costs and protect staff. On top of the attacks on pensions, university bosses they plan to make £25 million worth of cuts by December 2026, and are offering more rounds of voluntary severance. This will seriously affect education at Northumbria, no matter what university management have said.

They previously claimed that there would be no course closures, but even before this new round of cuts this has proved to be false. In music, existing courses are being taught until completion, but with no new intakes of students. The UCU has called a national demonstration in Newcastle on Wednesday 25 March.

Workers’ Liberty students at Northumbria have been at the picket lines, will be at the national demonstration, and are building support among students for the strike.