Photo credit: Fatou Coulibaly
By Fatou Coulibaly
Lecturers have been striking across the UK for the last few months for better working conditions and pay. There was a halt to discuss their concerns with the government, but no agreement was reached.
The action, which was called by the union’s higher education committee, called for three consecutive strike days from March 15 and three more this week, starting Monday 20. This comes as the UCU negotiates with employers, the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) and reballoting its members to extend the union’s mandate to take industrial action.
Academic staff and other university staff including librarians, technicians, security and catering workers in 150 UK universities have walked out since the strikes started in February, making 2023 one of the most convoluted for the educational system, with estimations revealing that the industrial action could affect around 2.5 million students across the UK.
March 15 saw one of the biggest national strike days ever recorded in a decade in the UK, affecting sectors such as teachers, NHS doctors and nurses, ambulance drivers, Royal Mail, national rail, and public transport.
Unions revendicated their rights on work, fighting short-term insecure contracts, excessive workloads resulting in unpaid work, pension schemes, recruitment and retention, as well as pay deals.
All this is happening as the UK is being hit by inflation rises, which have a direct impact on the countrywide cost-of-living crisis.
Junior doctors joined the picket lines on March 15 as they continued a 72-hour strike that has resulted in operations and appointments cancelled for thousands of patients.
Moreover, around 130,000 civil service and public sector workers in 132 government departments joined them – including Border Force and tax office staff, driving instructors and Ofsted employees.
Some London Metropolitan University lecturers opted to work remotely to avoid the picket line, but others decided to join the walkouts in support of the fight.
How can this strike affect school and University students?
The National Day strike was responsible for students missing school, which significantly impacted schools, colleges, and universities.
As BBC reports, the data released by the Department for Education showed 47% of all schools in England were open but restricting attendance, and 6% were fully closed on both strike days.
Secondary schools were worst affected, with 79% restricting attendance and 5% fully closed on 15 March. On 16 March, 80% restricted attendance and 6% were shut.
London had the highest proportion of affected schools, with only 18% able to fully open on both strike days.
A lecturer at London Metropolitan University Business School told Holloway Express: “If the strike continues, we may have a real problem for student degree outcomes.”
The cost-of-living crisis and the inflation rise could eventually raise university students’ tuition fees. Also, if the strike continues, the damage could be significant to the education system as the inflation grows 10.1% for this year 2023 according BBC recent report.
John Paul Uzomuru, 35, a master’s degree student, said he was concerned that universities could raise tuition costs, due to the cost-of-living crisis. “Being aware of the cost of living and the University will increase of cost of tuition. “Organisations should find the fine line for students to get the value of what they have,” he said.
Some worry that student mental health could also be affected by the strikes, if they continue. Many students – especially international ones – prefer face-to-face learning, and the lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on children’s and students’ mental health.
First-year student Laurena Vedilo, 32, said: “The strike has affected me personally. This will dramatically impact my grades, exams, and concentration as an international student.
“I am worried about my future study if the strike continues.”
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