The studies of almost 20,000 Salford University students were affected today, as the University and College Union, UCU, mounted its first day of strike action in defence of lecturers' pensions.
In what the union calls 'hardline proposals', lecturers would see a reduction of between 20% and 40% in final pensions, or around £10,000 a year. The union adds that "final pensions would depend on how the stock market performs, not on contributions" leading to "The worst pensions in the education sector, far worse than those available to both school teachers and staff in 'new universities'".
On the picket line at Frederick Road this morning, Matt Arrowsmith, UCU Regional Support Official told the Salford Star: "What we're seeing is an unprecedented attack on university pensions. The employers are looking to move all the risk from them onto our members, and they're trying to cheap out on their contributions at the same time.
"Our members feel this is the last straw" he added "Nobody wants to be on strike but this is our last line of defence. What we want is to bring the employers back to the table to negotiate but at the moment they're not having that. We want to be negotiating with Universities UK; we don't want to be stood out in the cold but until we get that dialogue this is where we are going to be."
There is set to be another strike at Salford University on Friday, as part of 14 days of co-ordinated action.
There is no press statement on the University of Salford website, nor its social media account, about the strike.
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