Swansea University is the only Welsh University on strike; but we have a strong statement from the Welsh Government today on how UUK need to start acting in the interest of University staff:

“Statement of Opinion – OPIN-2022-0260 – Welsh Parliament (assembly.wales)

OPIN-2022-0260 Swansea University and Open University Action (e)Tabled on 16/02/2022

This Senedd:

1. Recognises that, throughout the pandemic, academic staff have worked hard to keep education open and stabilise the sector and that, now the emergency has passed, university lecturers face a 35 per cent cut in pension entitlement.

2. Recognises lecturers’ deep commitment towards their students and that the decision to strike is never easy.

3. Calls upon Universities UK to:

a) return to the negotiating table immediately to avert damaging strikes and allow a post-pandemic evaluation of the pension fund.

b) work with staff to devise a UK-wide plan to re-build the sector by eliminating precarious contracts, managing workloads and addressing inequality.”

UCU strike action here in the UK over pension cuts (and poor pay, job security, fairness, etc.). I am seeing our strike as an opportunity to get some reading done (when I am not on the picket line that is). A few books I picked up in the last couple of weeks look like an interesting distraction from the dark cloud of personal and collective financial doom that striking (always a last resort) inevitably entails.