Lecturers poised to join big strike

A ballot of the lecturers' union membership on the government's pensions proposals saw a massive 82 per cent reject the reforms, with 60 per cent backing further strikes against them.

UCU confirmed the figures on Thursday but declined to comment before today's meeting.

Rejection of the government offer would see the UCU join the 300,000-strong National Union of Teachers and the 280,000-member NASUWT unions, whose executives both announced their outright rejection of the offer late on Wednesday evening.

If they accepted it would see an increase in weekly pension contributions despite the current two-year pay freeze, a rise in the retirement age from 66 to 68 and reduced payouts due to changes in the way pensions are calculated.

Pensions would also be based on a career-average salary rather than the normally higher final pay and would swap the retail price index for a lower consumer price index when adjusting for inflation.

Last-minute concessions from ministers included a blanket exemption for staff retiring within the next 10 years and a one-year exemption from increased contributions for workers on less than £26,000 a year.

But NUT general secretary Christine Blower said the offer still amounted to a "smash and grab raid" on their pensions.

"The government's proposals still lead to teachers paying a lot more, working a lot longer and getting a lot less."

She said the NUT would be meeting with other teaching unions to "discuss the best possible course of action, up to and including strike action."

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said the government had "wilfully refused" to provide a valuation of the teachers' pension scheme or explain why it was unaffordable.

"Teachers' pay has been cut. Jobs have been lost. Workload and accountability have soared, while morale and motivation have plummeted," she said.

All three unions took part in the November 30 strikes across the public sector, but the NUT would not be ready for the March 28 date mooted for the next round of co-ordinated action.

rorym@peoples-press.com