Canterbury's two main universities are to be hit with lecturer strikes this week. JAMIE FELTHAM, JAMES CROUCH, LAURA KERRIGAN and REBECCA DART investigate.
The strikes aim to secure pensions for lecturers at both Canterbury Christ Church University and University of Kent. The University and College Union (UCU) has announced that strike action will be taken today, March 22 for Kent, and on Thursday March 24 for Christ Church.
An email sent to lecturers from Christ Church UCU rep reads: "Accordingly, in accordance with democratic principle and in defence of the jobs, pay and pension rights of academic staff and in defence of a decent education system for current and future students and society as a whole, all members of the CCCU UCU Branch are expected to take strike action on this day."
Specifically, the strikes are trying to ensure job protection, decent pay, and equality at work. Mr Phillips sights "redundancy avoidance agreements" and "an end to hourly paid academic work" as two of the main goals.
Not all staff are planning to strike, claiming it's unfair on students. If that's the case then Phillips explains that "A sub-committee will consider whether or not it is appropriate to exempt such members from the action, but this will only occur in very exception circumstances and only to the extent strictly necessary. Members are expected not to work on these days, and not to carry out work."
John Fitzpatrick, the UCU Kent president spoke to Canterbury Connected. "We're all under threat at the moment from the employers at Universities.We're striking in protest of that because it undermines our rights and decent terms and conditions for staff."
We've also asked students what they make of the strike. Check that out here.
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