The university sector has been so broken for so long, and it's getting worse

Back

The TUC has a history of developing analysis and research to inform economic and employment-related issues.

Search by topic area

An alternative model to reset the balance in favour of work and away from wealth.

Report: From the doom loop to an economy for work not wealth

The TUC produces a wide range of research and analysis reports

Latest TUC reports

Back

Nothing beats being a union member, but if you are looking for particular guidance on a workplace issue have a look at our workplace guidance.

Go to workplace guidance

Are you a union rep looking for help and advice to support your colleagues at work? Take a look at our wide range of resources.

Go to reps guidance

This guide is for union reps - understanding coronavirus and workplace issues, employer negotiations and how best protect the workforce

Coronavirus - Guidance for unions

Name

Cara Dobbing

Union

UCU

Job title

Timetabling coordinator

Cara Dobbing, works at a university as student support staff. She has been involved in ongoing disputes at the university over pay, pensions and staffing. She has recently voted to take strike action.

I work in a university as a timetabling coordinator. Colleagues working at my university haven't had a real pay rise since 2009. We received a 3% pay rise in August, but we haven't had a real pay rise in over 10 years. When you take inflation into account it's a 25% pay cut since 2009.

I work full time and I earn £23,000 a year. It's not enough to pay for my bills so I take on extra work as a Body Shop rep.

I work 35 hours a week at the university and I'm working an extra 15-20 hours a week on top of that to make ends meet. And I take a week off work every year to mark GCSE papers so I can afford to go on holiday.

Through the cost of living crisis I have had to make cutbacks. I don't live near my family, and I don't see them as much now because I have to rely on trains, (as I can't afford a car) and train fares are through the roof. I've cut back on the things we class as luxuries like takeaways, clothes and eating out.

Even colleagues who don't have extra streams of income are working extra hours. UCU did a survey that showed average people are doing 16 hours extra a week – they're working through lunches, starting early and finishing late just to get the work done. The huge rise in student numbers (since the removal of the cap in 2016) means that student numbers are going up and not being met by the same increase in staff resources.

We're striking over working conditions, too. The university made mass redundancies in summer 2021, and the university hasn't recovered from it. The staff retention has gone dramatically down, and although they are back recruiting, they're not recruiting for the roles that were lost. Staff turnover is extremely high, due to a combination of low pay and heavy workloads. Staff morale is on the floor.

The University ran a staff survey at the end of last year that found staff felt there was an issue with training and development. There's a real problem in nurturing and retaining experienced, talented staff. The university is run on goodwill. And it's just not sustainable, when people are leaving, after so many years being here, or have been pushed out, how can it be sustainable? You need people with experience to run places like this.

Being in dispute with our employer doesn't feel great, because you just think what's the point in staying? Should I find some something else? Should I try and get a job where I feel valued? But then I think, especially as a union rep, if I don't fight then who else is? Who else is going to stand up for university staff and students?

The university sector has been so broken for so long, and it just seems to be getting worse. If no one stands up for them, then what's going to be left? And what are students going to be left with in the future? It's that serious. I'm on strike, not just for a proper pay rise, and in defence of working conditions, but to save the higher education sector as a whole.

Join a union