STRIKE action by more than 50,000 lecturers will hit 68 universities next month in a “fight for the future” over pay, pensions and working conditions.

The University and College Union (UCU) says that more than a million students will be affected by up to 10 days of strike action spread over three weeks from Monday February 14.

The union says that the employers’ attack on their pensions will reduce retirement income by 35 per cent.

UCU also says staff have suffered a 20 per cent cut in real-terms pay over the last year, suffering unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and the use of exploitative and insecure contracts.

The union says that more than half of all university lecturers are on precarious contracts under which they do not know if they will have a job from year to year or even term to term.

The disputes involve various issues with different employing bodies and strike days will vary.

The final day of strike action on March 2 will combine with a strike by the National Union of Students (NUS).

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “For a sector that is worth tens of billions of pounds and enjoys record levels of student growth it is beyond disgraceful that in return staff get vicious pension cuts, falling pay and are pushed to breaking point under deteriorating working conditions.

“Staff need a proper pay rise, action to tackle insecure contracts, unsafe workloads and pay inequality, and for devastating pension cuts to be revoked.

“This wave of strike action is a fight for the future of higher education and staff are proud to stand alongside students in the fight for an education system that treats students and staff with respect.”

NUS national president Larissa Kennedy said: “Students’ unions and student organisers have a proud tradition of standing in solidarity with staff.

“We will continue to stand with staff in their struggles because nothing about this broken system is inevitable.

Employers’ group Universities UK said current pensions levels were “unaffordable.”

The Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association said that the UCU should “engage constructively” in talks planned for March.