Universities in Nigeria now have less to worry about in terms of the shaming that comes with going on several strikes to wrestle demands and rights from Government, as some of the most reputable Universities in the world get set to go on an industrial strike action over planned changes to staff pensions.
University and College Union (UCU), decided on the strike after a ballot vote to which 61 voted in favour of strike, over changes in United Kingdom (UK) higher education’s biggest pension scheme.
Universities UK (UUK), the body in charge of pension, plans to scrap the element of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), which guarantees a certain level of pension income in retirement, which would cost an average lecturer £200,000 (N101 million) over the course of their retirement.
Affected Universities would include, University of Oxford, Cambridge University, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), University of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and York, among others.
According to UCU General Secretary, Sally Hunt, members have made it quite clear that they are prepared to take sustained strike action to defend their pensions.
“Universities will be hit with levels of strike action not seen before on UK campuses if a deal cannot be done over the future of USS pensions.
“USS already offers worse benefits than other schemes available in Universities, and UUK’s proposals would make matters worse.”
The industrial action is proposed to begin with a two-day walkout on February 22 and could subsequently escalate into weeks.
In defence, UUK stated that the change in pension scheme is a necessary step made, in the best interests of University staff, to put USS on a sustainable footing for the long-term.
“The scheme will continue to offer attractive pensions through market-leading defined contribution benefits.”
In September 2017, Academic Staff Union of Universities suspended a five-week-old strike, after a compromise was reached between the Union and the Federal Government over a memorandum of action entered by the two bodies.
Some of the agreement includes; funding for revitalization of public universities and the issue of Earn Academic Allowances, the issue of University Staff Schools and the implementation of the judgement of the National Industrial Court, National Universities Pension Management Company and guidelines for pension matters for Professors.
