Birmingham students have created this video supporting staff striking at the University of Birmingham against unfair and unnecessary cuts.

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Come along to East gate at 1pm, join the picket, talk to staff (they are friendly), share free food with all supporters of the staff at the student picket picnic, next to the staff picket.

Birmingham University UCU are fighting at national level against a real terms 4.6% pay cut to staff and for job security against unesscesary cuts to our education that will affect us all. UCU are also fighting against regressive changes to the University Superannuation Scheme (USS), which potentially hits female members harder and damages member’s benefits.

There are real alternatives in the universities budget and of course on national level. At the University of Birmingham by 2015 over half of the money the university is planning to make up in £10 million pounds worth of cuts to our courses will have been lost in increases in executive pay for just 97 top paid staff.

Executive pay at the University of Birmingham is spiralling out of control. In the academic year 1999/2000 the VC earned £169,000, and there were 28 staff earning more than £100,000 p/a with a combined pay of £3.3 million. 10 years later the VC’s pay equaled £392,000, and there were 97 staff earning more than £100,000 p/a with a combined pay of £14.7 million, unlike average staff pay, far above inflation and the average growth of the university.

It is in our best interest as students’ for us to support UCU in fighting against job losses as lecturers made forcibly redundant by the university will result in less teaching, support and contact hours for students.

can’t come to the event, but want to help?

Why not e-mail the university mangers, let ’em know what you think ask them to stop taking such a hardline stance and give staff a fair deal.

Professor D Eastwood The Vice-Chancellor and Principal [email protected]
Professor M C Sheppard The Vice-Principal [email protected]