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Lecturers strike to say ‘hands off our pensions’

Published date: 25 March 2011 |
Published by: Garth ApThomas

 

LECTURERS who took part in a one-day national strike against proposed changes to their pensions said they were pleased with the response from the Wrexham public.

Picket lines organised by the University and College Union (UCU) were set up at centres including Glyndwr University and Yale College yesterday. Yale said classes ran as normal but Glyndwr declined to comment on the disruption.

Steve Byrne, chairman of UCU at Glyndwr, said: “The picket has been going very well. We have been handing out leaflets highlighting the attack on our pensions.

“We have talked to many people explaining the situation and a good number of them have turned around rather than go across the picket line.

“If you look at the car park there are plenty of spaces empty – normally it is absolutely packed. And motorists driving along the road have tooted their horns as an indication of support for us.

“I must stress this strike is not action against the students or the university, it is being held nationally to help defend the right to a fair pension.”

Yale UCU spokesman Bob Scholey said: “We don’t take this action lightly. In the long term this will help to defend the standards of education, encouraging high quality lecturers to remain in the profession. We have been getting a very sympathetic response from the public.”

A Yale College spokesman said: “Our classes are running normally as planned and our bus services, learning resource centre, refectory and learner support services are unaffected.”

On Wednesday Glyndwr issued a statement expressing disappointment that UCU had decided to take industrial action.

Glyndwr stressed it was a national dispute which could only be settled through negotiation between the unions and the UK government and pledged to ensure any disruption to students as a result of the strike was minimised.

- ANGRY lecturers at Deeside College also staged a walk-out over cuts to their pensions.

Members of Deeside’s University and College Union (UCU) branch took part in the national day of action with education chiefs saying the action had “minimal” disruption.

John Moore, vice-chairman of the UCU branch, said: “Our protest is against the Westminster government, not the college.”

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  1. Posted by: a cahill at 15:59 on 25 March 2011 Report

    Can we include well paid lecturers in Lib1's group of "I'm all right Jack's" which seem to have crawled out of the woodwork when they are asked to join all others in paying for the mistakes of politicians and banks

  2. Posted by: liberty1 at 21:49 on 25 March 2011 Report

    ac , no we cannot as these people have at least got off their backsides and done something , the problem with many rightwing people such as yourself is that you are unable to come to terms with the fact that other people may have different points of view because its not what your are told in the Mail/Express or Torygraph.

  3. Posted by: t.jones at 22:27 on 25 March 2011 Report

    As a lecturer - the only reason I have been given to go on strick is that people live longer! Maybe thats why nobody in my section actually went on strick! I'm afraid A Cahill hits the nail on the head!

  4. Posted by: liberty1 at 09:04 on 26 March 2011 Report

    t.j , you claim to be a lecturer? , " strick ", which dept are you connected with so we can check if your comment is correct or just made up?

  5. Posted by: a cahill at 10:43 on 26 March 2011 Report

    Lecturers paid for by the taxpayers of this country with no fear of losing their jobs if they strike...disrupting the education of people simply because they don't want to take part in getting the country out of the financial mess left by the last govt and the banks...Even Ed Balls has admitted Labours role in the economic meltdown that has cost thousands of people thei jobs

  6. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 00:16 on 27 March 2011 Report

    liberty1, have you thought that tj may be dyslexic, or do you have to question every one that refuses to see your leftist point of view...you prove who you are first, you keep demanding everyone is wrong and that you are always right. while everyone knows it was Labour that made the mess we are in now with there total ignorance to the facts.

  7. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 00:24 on 27 March 2011 Report

    Alistair Darling in the closing stages of Labours last stand deliberatly cost us at least £6billion with bailing out Portugal even though we are not part of the Eurozone... against everyone elses advice... even his own government. and you dare blame the tories?... you leftists are a total joke.

  8. Posted by: lindopski at 10:07 on 27 March 2011 Report

    I work for the NHS in ICT, I am willing to give up my 'rosy' pension in return for wages that match my private sector colleagues. I manage,build,plan and generally run the whole RFID network at my trust's and looking at the private sector ad's I am due a £20,000 raise - Winner !! Oh hang on - you want me to still receive rubbish pay AND give up my pension - DOH!

  9. Posted by: a cahill at 14:55 on 27 March 2011 Report

    lindopski...why don't you apply for a private sector position if you feel that way about it....truth is that no private sector company would or could put up with the ineptitude or lack of understanding of their systems as highlighted by the ongoing laughing stock known as Flintshire Council...how much do mistakes such as this cost Wales on an annual basis

  10. Posted by: lindopski at 08:30 on 28 March 2011 Report

    The common public sector reason for system failure is the fact that rather than getting the most reliable or best systems, they plump for the cheapest (best price for the tax payer system) which turns out to be a pile of dung as expected. Cisco is a bit expensive lets get bobs own make instead - FAIL! I joined the NHS for job security (lol),a decent pension scheme (lol) and to make a difference (which I am managing to do, even with peanuts to run it and sticking plaster fixes)

  11. Posted by: lindopski at 08:31 on 28 March 2011 Report

    not all public sector systems are a total fail. To be honest in my field there is opportunity to earn megabucks but I love the people I work with and the place I work - should I swap it to work with a bunch of hooray henrys screwing the world for a faster buck - no chance! keep your money just quit harping on that the public sector bunch are better off - Whatever!

  12. Posted by: liberty1 at 10:51 on 28 March 2011 Report

    ac , re Flintshire Council , nearly all of the systems used by the council have been bought in from the private sector , right-wingers conveniently forget that most of the cock ups in the public sector are down to private sector involvement

  13. Posted by: liberty1 at 10:59 on 28 March 2011 Report

    IMO , if tj is dyslexic it must be very mild as it only effects one word , they can let us know if they reply to my post , as for my asking for proof whats wrong with that? you make a great many claims which you cant back up.

  14. Posted by: liberty1 at 11:07 on 28 March 2011 Report

    lindopski , on behalf of the vast majority of people thank for the service that you , the public sector , give to the community , take no notice of the envious whingers and moaners who think your on high wages and will be the first to cry when the cuts really start to bite.

  15. Posted by: a cahill at 12:06 on 28 March 2011 Report

    Public servants low paid !!...never !!....I am amazed...given that there's been a recruitment embargo on public sector jobs for quite some time I take it that Lindopski has a few years service under their belt....Labour, the TUC and Unions would never have allowed that to happen....would they now ??

  16. Posted by: liberty1 at 13:17 on 28 March 2011 Report

    ac , allowed what? I know they would have not allowed the heating allowance to be cut as the Cons have sneaked in , Camermoron during the election said "simple lies" when it was said this would happen, whos the liar now? your beloved Dave I think.

  17. Posted by: a cahill at 17:44 on 28 March 2011 Report

    lib 1....not in a million years would theLabour party under Blair/Brown have allowed public servants to be poorly paid nor would their well paid buddies in the trade union movement...living the lie that boom and bust was eradicated will probably go down in history as the greatest fairy story ever told

  18. Posted by: Roland Cleth at 08:51 on 29 March 2011 Report

    Labour government for 13 years and look at the state they left this country in. Shame on anyone he tries to defend them and forgets the facts at any election in the decades to come.

  19. Posted by: liberty1 at 09:36 on 29 March 2011 Report

    ac , you do talk a load of bull but I suppose that comes from the frustration and fear as you witness the growing distaste of the public to the unelected Con/LieDim Gov. RC , same Tory comment , a sign of someone who knows the game is up.

 

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