Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers are striking in Britain’s biggest day of industrial action for over a decade.
Many schools are closed and railway stations deserted as train and bus drivers join civil servants and teachers walking out in a pay and pensions dispute causing widespread disruption.
The Evening Standard heads to the picket line to meet lecturers and also examines the impact on students - particularly for undergraduates who are the Class of 2020 - Gen Covid - set to graduate this year.
ES senior feature writer and commissioning editor Katie Strick interviews Dr Pat McGovern, associate professor in sociology at LSE, which is among UCU branches across Britain taking industrial action after rejecting a below-inflation pay offer.
The Leader podcast is also joined by final-year King’s College London undergraduate student and freelance journalist Liv Facey.
The 21-year-old south-east Londoner discusses the impact of the strikes and challenges of studying for her English degree through the Covid pandemic.
King’s College London says pay decisions are decided nationally, and the university’s doing all they can to help students impacted by the strikes to continue normal campus access and support progress of studies.
LSE says they’re committed to supporting staff, are actively engaging with representative bodies on pay and pensions, and continue to have “constructive discussions” with the local UCU branch.
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