UNIVERSITY support staff joined striking lecturers on the picket lines today to fight for pay justice.

Members of public-sector union Unison at seven universities are taking action over pay and united with members of the University and College Union (UCU) who are staging 10 days of strike action.

In Leeds they jointly staged an enthusiastic rally on the steps of the university’s landmark Parkinson Building.

Lecturers at 68 universities are involved in 10 days of strike action over pay and pensions.

The walkout by Unison members marks growing dissatisfaction and unrest in the higher education sector over pay, pensions and working conditions.

Striking staff will be joined tomorrow by students who are staging a day of action in support of the lecturers.

Today’s rally in Leeds was addressed by UCU president Vicky Blake and by Leeds MPs Richard Burgon and Alex Sobel.

Leeds University’s Unison branch secretary Angela Blackburn said that university support workers’ pay had fallen 17 to 20 per cent below inflation in the last 10 years.

“In effect our members are working more than two months of the year for nothing, against where they were 10 years ago,” she said. 

“This is not a sustainable situation. Staff across the country are having to use foodbanks and claim benefits.”

UCU says that its members pay has fallen by 25.5 per cent since 2009. They are seeking a £2,500 pay increase.

Lecturers are also fighting changes to their pensions, which they say mean a 30 per cent cut in retirement income.

UCU also says staff face “unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and the use of exploitative and insecure contracts.”