Yesterday saw more organised strike action, as academics and support staff at the University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University protested pay cuts in the Higher Education sector.

The strike was organised by the unions UCU, UNISON and Unite, and was supported by CUSU.  It was the second instance of industrial action regarding staff pay this term; another day of protests took place at the end of October.

Some students chose not to attend lectures, joining with staff at the picket lines and in demonstrations to show solidarity with the cause.

Between 8am and noon picket lines were established at various sites around Cambridge including the Sidgwick Site and University Library, the New Museums Site, the Downing Site and the Old Schools Site.

At midday protesters assembled on the plaza between Senate House and Great St Mary's church, where representatives from the unions spoke to the crowd of around one hundred students and staff. 

Many of the speeches alluded to a sustained attack on Higher Education by the current government. Carina O’Reilly, who is a lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University and a Labour councilor for Arbury ward in Cambridge, spoke of a systematic devaluing of Higher Education and those who work in the sector.

She said, “We are worth 13 per cent less to this government than we were four years ago because we work in Higher Education.”

Some of the speakers focused on the disparity of pay between university officials and other employees. Ian Maidlow, the regional officer for Unite, referred to the “lavish pay packages” of a few academics in comparison with most people who work in the sector.

After the rally demonstrators joined in an organised march around Market Square.

The unions reject the one percent pay rise offered to staff by Higher Education employers, which they argue equates to a thirteen percent pay cut in real terms since 2008.