Winchester University students demand pay for staff from management

The group of activists, who believe management staff at the University of Winchester are failing to take care of their employees, submitted the letter at the beginning of March and are yet to receive a response.

Leading the charge is second-year student Eli Jones, who is in the last cohort of Liberal Arts after the course got cut. Eli, 20, said: “On every level at the uni, we are discouraged and demoralised. Staff are subjected to insecure contracts, denied fair pay, and forced to fight against inequality in the workplace, and critical courses are done away with, and all the while, students are left in the dark. It’s exhausting.

“Many are completely unaware that their courses are at risk and that their staff must teach them under insecure contracts designed to exploit and exhaust them.

READ MORE: UCU strikes going ahead at Winchester University

“It feels disheartening to hear nothing back. We’re a small university full of compassion and care. There’s so much momentum on this and there are so many of us who want to see improvements.

“We need to be able to have a dialogue with management, the people actually making the decisions. We want to express our support for staff and the UCU and make it clear that we understand why they are striking and that it’s necessary.

“It needs to be known that the university is heading in a bad direction and we disapprove of it and we will be loud about it until it changes.

“It’s our responsibility to voice that we are upset. I need to stand up and say something when the people I care about are suffering and not being valued. It could be seen as pointless but if we don’t try we’ll never know.”

The passionate message addressed to vice-chancellor Sarah Greer, chief operating officer Gavin Hunter and the board of governors demands that management take care of their staff.

The letter reads: “Vital negotiations must continue to take place. We implore that you move forward with the interests of your staff at heart. We demand that our staff be valued, protected, and paid to the full extent that they require.

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“It’s up to you to protect your students and staff at this critical moment and to value them over profit margins and the interests of shareholders. Hear the Union’s demands and do what must be done to protect those most integral to the success of your institution.

“You have heard from your staff — now, hear from your students.”

Following the latest strike in March, a University of Winchester spokesperson said: “The university does not have any direct control over this national dispute and hopes an agreement can be reached with the UCU soon to minimise further impact to students.”

Winchester University’s UCU rep and senior lecturer, Simon Boxley, said: “We are at a turning point for our universities. Families of students applying to study now will want to know that students’ academic and social needs will be met, but with staff numbers cut and morale at a low, many staff are struggling to keep on top of excessive workloads alongside the stress of financial insecurity.”