Peter Tatchell condemns 'unfair' threat by universities to dock full day's pay for a two-hour walkout

Leading human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has called on universities to reverse their decision to dock a full day's pay from members of the UCU participating in a national two-hour strike.

On Thursday, he visited De Montfort University - one of the institutions that said it would take a full day's pay from staff involved in the two-hour strike - to collect an honorary degree.

During his visit, Mr Tatchell raised the issue of staff pay with De Montfort University vice-chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard. He advised Professor Shellard that taking a full day's pay from staff risked inflaming the situation and worsening industrial relations. He said he supported the union's campaign for a fair pay deal.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) walked out in universities across the UK on Thursday (23 January) between 11am and 1pm. The second two-hour strike takes place tomorrow (Tuesday) from 2-4pm. UCU members will then take a full day's strike action with members of the Unite, Unison and EIS unions on Thursday 6 February, before resuming the two-hour stoppages on Monday 10 February between 9am and 11am.

Around one in five universities* said they would dock a full day's pay from staff involved in Thursday's two-hour strike. A handful of universities reversed that decision after protests from UCU. The union said it was consulting with its members at universities threatening to take a full day's pay about the possibility of escalation of strike action and legal challenges.

University staff's refusal to accept a 1% pay offer prompted the current pay dispute. UCU says the 1% pay rise would leave staff with a real-terms 13% pay cut since 2009. Union members took two days of strike action last year. Student groups have described the employers' 1% pay offer as 'measly' and called for a quick resolution to the dispute.

UCU General Secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Universities docking a full day's pay for a two-hour strike risk facing an escalation of strike action from members of UCU and a legal challenge as we seek to recoup any unfairly docked money through the courts.

'We are grateful to Peter Tatchell for raising this important issue during his visit to De Montfort University. He has fought long and hard for justice on many human rights issues, and his willingness to speak out highlights the depth of injustice both in terms of the 1% pay offer and in relation to universities' disproportionate pay docking threat.'

Peter Tatchell said: 'It is very unfair to dock staff a whole day's pay for a two hour walkout. This risks inflaming the situation and escalating the dispute, which is in no one's interest. I urge universities to think again. The offer of a 1% pay rise is derisory and unjust; especially given the substantial pay cut [13%] in real terms over recent years. I support the staff bid for a fair deal.'

* The universities which said they would deduct a full day's pay from staff involved in a two hour strike.

1. De Montfort University
2. Nottingham Trent University
3. University of Dundee
4. Leeds College of Art
5. University of Leicester
6. University of Wolverhampton
7. Staffordshire University
8. University of Surrey
9. Oxford Brookes University
10. Glasgow Caledonian University
11. University of East Anglia
12. University of Central Lancashire
13. University of East London
14. Manchester Metropolitan University
15. University of Ulster
16. University of Stirling
17. University of Aberdeen
18. University of South Wales
19. Sheffield Hallam University
20. Robert Gordon University
21. University of Bradford
22. London South Bank University
23. Queen's University Belfast
24. University of the West of Scotland
25. University of Bolton
26. Anglia Ruskin University
27. Queen Mary, University London
28. University of Salford
29. Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
30. Norwich University of the Arts
31. University of Worcester