The University and College Union (UCU) pickets at Northumbria University being entertained 18 Feb 2026. Photo: Graham Kirkwood
Northumbria University UCU members were out in force on the fourth day of strike action to defend their pensions writes Graham Kirkwood
On Wednesday, UCU members at Northumbria University in Newcastle were out in some long-awaited sunshine, picketing their university. This was day four of a planned ten days of strike action. Pickets were building up to a rally at 12 noon outside the university’s open day at the business school.
The dispute is over pensions. The university management want to move members of the Teachers Pension Scheme (TPS) over to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). Staff view the USS as inferior to what they have already.
In an outrageously threatening stance, management have said if staff don’t agree to this, then their pay will be frozen indefinitely. The anger amongst the pickets was palpable and students were engaging with pickets and finding out why their classes were being cancelled.
The strike continues on Thursday this week and then there will be a whole week’s strike action from Monday 02 March to Friday 06 March.
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