SENIOR University of Southampton staff are to blame for the cancellation of a science and engineering day because they provoked strikes by attacking pensions, the University and College Union (UCU) said yesterday.

The event at the university, scheduled for Saturday March 10, had to be cancelled while staff prepare to take industrial action over the next four weeks.

The dispute centres on higher education bosses’ plans to slash the benefits of the Universities Superannuation Scheme pension scheme, which, the UCU says, would leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement.

The union said the cancellation was “incredibly disappointing” but emphasised that the blame lay squarely with university bosses who had left staff with “no choice” but to strike.
 
UCU members will stage 14 days of escalating strike action from next Thursday as well as working to contract, which means not undertaking any voluntary duties.

The union noted that the event’s cancellation demonstrates just how much universities rely on staff goodwill.