Why we are striking
University of Hertfordshire
Why lecturers are striking – support us!
- UH lecturers plus 70,000 colleagues at 150 universities will be on strike on 24, 25 and 30 November. Over 80% of us who voted in the national ballot said ‘yes’ to strike action. Why?
- Our pay’s plummeted in real terms by an unprecedented 25.5% (RPI) since 2009.
- The pay offer this year is 3% but inflation’s 12.6% (RPI), which means a drastic real terms cut of 9.6% just as rising energy prices and interest rates are hitting hard. We seek a pay rise of at least inflation (RPI) + 2%.
- Meanwhile, our VC, Quintin McKellar, who’s also vice-president of Universities UK, the employers’ organisation, received a remuneration package in 2020-21 worth £354,000.
- The UK University sector is worth £44.4 billion. It finished 2020-21 with £2.4 billion more in cash than it started with – the same year lecturers received a 0% pay rise!
- UH finished 2020-21 with cash of £127.8 million, almost £30 million more than it started with. But it’s chosen to spend £90 million on infrastructure not staff!
- We also want action on excessive workloads. UCU’s Workload Survey 2021 found that lecturers work more than two unpaid days per week (50.4 FTE hours).
- We lecturers love teaching our UH students but we can’t ignore how underpaid and overworked we are.
- Our cause is fair and just. We urge colleagues, other UH staff and students to support us! Please email your support to uhucu@herts.ac.uk