Strike ballot looms at Northumbria University over attack on pay & pensions

The university has told staff that anyone refusing to move onto the new scheme will have their pay frozen, effectively punishing employees who wish to remain in TPS and locking them into years of real terms pay cuts. 

Northumbria's management say that the move could save up to £11 million from staff pay & pensions.  But UCU says the proposals amount to an attack on long-term retirement security and would leave many staff significantly worse off. 

At a packed meeting of almost 250 members this week, staff overwhelmingly voted (by over 99%) to declare a dispute over the pensions changes and pay freeze threat. The union has made it clear that a ballot for local industrial action is now imminent and the university could face disruption if it doesn't withdraw the proposal. 

The dispute at Northumbria comes amid growing national concern about universities seeking to cut pension costs at the expense of staff. UCU has repeatedly warned that employers across the UK are undermining established pension schemes such as TPS and USS, threatening staff morale, recruitment, and retention in the higher education sector. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Telling staff they must choose between their pay or their pension is no choice at all. Pensions are about the long-term. Senior management are only thinking short-term. The anger from our members is palpable, and was crystal clear at this week's mass meeting. They are rightly furious about being forced to pay the price for decisions made by university management. 

'Northumbria's leadership is rushing through a process that has no place in higher education and may face industrial action if the proposals are followed through. It needs to think again or risk serious reputational risk and becoming an educational establishment which loses the respect of staff, students and the local community.'