Support staff at 20 universities to strike over pay

Support staff at 20 universities in England and Scotland, including cleaners and librarians, are to strike in the coming weeks in a dispute over pay.

Unison said there will be co-ordinated action for at least two days by more than 5,000 staff at the start of the new term.

The walkout is separate to strikes at the end of the month by lecturers and other staff at 140 universities in a separate row over pay and conditions.

Unison said the action follows demands for a fair wage rise after years of below-inflation increases.

Unison members in 16 universities in England will walk out on October 2 and 3 while a series of strikes will take place in Scotland later this month at four institutions in Glasgow and Dundee.

Staff voted to reject a pay offer for 2023/24 worth between 5% and 8% and have voted to take industrial action.

Unison’s head of education Mike Short said: “Support staff play a crucial role helping students through university but they’ve endured years of real-terms pay cuts.

“Many can’t support themselves as prices of food, fuel and household bills continue to rise. Some are having to leave for better-paid jobs elsewhere and that risks leaving millions of students facing a worsening university experience. Universities must improve wages.”

Members of the University and College Union will strike for five days from September 25 in their long-running dispute over pay and conditions.