Strike rally at Northumbria University over "pension theft" & pay freeze as management wastes millions on capital spend

The rally takes place on the first of three strike days this week (Wednesday 25, Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March). Staff will be on picket lines from 9am Wednesday morning before the rally starts . They have already taken twelve days of action since February and will strike for five more in April if management refuses to enter meaningful negotiations to help resolve the dispute.

The rally will begin at Newcastle Civic Centre at 12.30pm and attendees will march to Grey's Monument. Speakers include UCU general secretary Jo Grady, president-elect Dyfrig Jones, as well as reps from Northumbria UCU, sister UCU branches also under attack and sister unions.

The dispute is over management's decision to force staff out of the post-92 university standard pension, the Teacher's Pension Scheme, by freezing the pay of any staff member who tries to stay in it. The university has now told staff it needs to cut £25 million from university expenditure by the end of the year (December 2026).

However, the union's analysis of university finances shows it committed to £39.6m of capital spend last year (24/25), an eightfold increase in just four years (£4.8m in 21/22). The union also believes the institution has spent over £34m on a technology centre, (North East Space Sills & Technology Centre), including almost £9m in overspend. The capital spend increases were partly based on projected tuition fee income, which was off by £16m.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Our members will be out in huge numbers on Wednesday because they refuse to pay the price for the crisis management has created. It gambled on a high capital spend on the basis that tuition fee income would rise, but that has failed to materialise.

"Despite the £16m shortfall in projected income, senior managers continue to waste tens of millions on shiny new buildings, all while punishing staff who assert their legal right to be in the sector pension scheme. It is nothing short of pension theft, and our members have the union's full backing in their fight to protect hard won pay, terms and conditions.'