Leeds: University support staff strike again over pay

The strike action at the University of Leeds will run for several days

Hundreds of support staff at two universities in Leeds are to walk out on Thursday in strike action over pay.

Administrators, cleaners, library, security and catering workers at Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds are taking action over several days up to 30 November.

They join academics at 150 universities due to begin strike action nationally.

In a statement, the University of Leeds said it had "already absorbed £40m in increased costs".

It said those costs included "meeting rising energy bills and subsidising low-cost hot meals for everyone on campus".

Meanwhile, Leeds Beckett University said it was adopting the Real Living Wage of £10.90 per hour, rather than the national minimum wage of £9.50 for those aged 23 and over.

'Soaring prices'

This latest wave of walkouts follows a series of strikes by University of Leeds support staff in September and October after Unison members rejected a 3% pay rise from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association in May.

Unison said workers were "after a fair pay rise to help them cope with soaring prices" and their wages had "failed to keep pace with inflation", which stood at 11.1% on 16 November, according to the latest figures.

A Unison spokesperson said the rise in living costs was "three times greater" than the workers' pay increase and staff had been left "out of pocket and struggling".

Karen Loughlin, Unison's Yorkshire and Humberside regional secretary said: "The cost of living crisis is pushing people to the brink. University support staff can't even cover the basics. They've had enough and are quitting the sector for jobs on better pay."

She said low pay had been "a massive and growing problem in the university sector for more than a decade".

"The universities should do the right thing and come back with more money to show they care about their employees. This would help keep them in their posts so students can receive the support they need and have the best possible experience of university."

The University and College Union (UCU) said more than 70,000 staff would be taking part in the national strikes over pay, working conditions and pension cuts, which are planned for 24, 25 and 30 November.

Strike dates

Leeds Beckett University: 24, 25 and 30 November

University of Leeds: 24 to 30 November

A spokesperson for the University of Leeds said it recognised these were "difficult times" for staff and students, offering "targeted support".

"While pay rates are negotiated at a national level, for staff, this support will include a further payment of up to £650 in December, for which almost 4,000 people on our lower pay grades are eligible, following a similar payment in July," they said.

A spokesperson for Leeds Beckett University said while the university could not support the strike action, it appreciated the difficult times for staff and students.

"We are doing what we can to support staff in real terms, while ensuring our university remains a going concern and financially sustainable for the future," they said.

"We are also redistributing the employer National Insurance contribution we are saving for the rest of this university financial year to staff, as a one-off lump sum payment of £350 in November."