On Wednesday of last week UCU announced that university campuses will be hit with five days of strike action later this month. The announcement was covered on Sky News, BBC Radio 4 PM and regional TV and radio stations across the UK. The announcement came as the union withdrew its marking boycott. 

Speaking to the Guardian, Telegraph and Times Jo Grady said: “We are left with no option but to strike during the start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts. 

“Universities are richer than ever, generating tens of billions of pounds in income and hoarding billions more in cash deposits, but they won’t give staff their fair share. A pay award of five percent is a huge real-terms pay cut and is substantially lower than school teachers received. 

“We have sought to settle this dispute at every opportunity, including agreeing to a joint review of sector finances, but we are faced with employers that want to see staff and students suffer.”