Five more days of strikes will take place for University of Bristol's support staff, UNISON has announced. Bristol University's higher education workers, including those in student support, administration services, library services, IT and admissions, will walk out for five consecutive days of action from Thursday, June 15 until Monday, June 19.
The union says that the further strikes are down to an "insulting" pay offer, which "falls a long way short of inflation and staff deserve more". The 2023/24 pay offer is worth 5-8% depending on salary, with a higher percentage rise for lower-paid workers.
Some of this amount - around £83 per month before tax - was paid early to staff in February to help with the increasing cost of living. University of Bristol staff took action in September, November, February and earlier this month.
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UNISON South West's head of higher education, Chris Roche, said: “University of Bristol staff have been left with no other choice but to take further strike action. Despite their tireless efforts to ensure students receive a high-quality education, they have faced years of declining real wages.
“Enough is enough. University employees simply can’t afford to live on poverty wages or accept woeful, insulting pay offers. It’s time for university managers to make a fair offer that provides a living wage to all staff.”
Vicky Redwood, a faculty timetabling and education officer, said: "I am striking because I am fed up with seeing the university spending extraordinary amount of money on expansions, while my pay has stagnated. I believe you should be able to afford to live in the city you work.
"As a world leading University, there is no excuse not to pay your staff what they deserve. This strike is a last resort. We care about our students, but cannot do our best work when we are dealing with increased workloads, increased student numbers and worries about the increased cost of living in Bristol."
There will be about a dozen picket lines at various university buildings between 9am and 11am on the strike days, including at the Wills Memorial Building. Mia Smith, a university library assistant, said: "The University of Bristol has proven again and again that it cares more about its profit than its people.
"Inflation continues to rise, house prices continue to rise, food prices continue to rise, yet our wages don't. This university can't exist without us, and we'll keep fighting until they pay us what we deserve."
A University of Bristol spokesperson said: “Following a ballot of 14 Universities, UNISON colleagues have secured a mandate to take strike action in nine, one of which is the University of Bristol, over the 2022/23 pay award of 5-8%. We’ve had confirmation of planned action from 15–19 June 2023, and UCU have confirmed discontinuous strike action on Friday 16 June in relation to their ongoing national dispute over pay and conditions which is currently affecting more than 100 universities.
"We respect the rights of our staff to act where they feel strongly about issues which affect them, but these are not issues that Bristol can solve on its own. While we are working with our local unions here at Bristol, and are committed to continuing discussions, the sector needs to find affordable solutions and better ways of resolving these ongoing disputes.”
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