Swansea University staff and students met MSs at the gates of Singleton Campus today (Friday 26/5/23) as South Wales politicians spoke out against university managers.

The demonstration of support followed a statement of opinion to the Senedd which labelled university managers’ actions ‘disproportionate’ and ‘harming student interest’ while urging Vice Chancellors back to the negotiating table.

Mike Hedges MS said: “Universities are very important to the Welsh economy and can be drivers of economic growth. 

“The way in which Welsh HEI Vice-Chancellors are going about penalising staff is all wrong. 

“We shouldn’t be taking our lead from English universities who are trying to crush their staff with punitive deductions. Welsh universities should be leading the negotiations in a spirit of social partnership that shows a way to the negotiating table, not trying to bully their staff into submission.”

A university lecturer, who did not wish to be named because of fear of reprisals, said: “I don’t think Vice Chancellor Boyle realises the impact his actions are having, but I will never forgive him.”

“University managers are bullying us. They are cutting our wages, attacking our pensions, and giving more and more of us short term contracts. When Covid hit, we stepped up, and society can thank us by paying us properly, for, amongst other things, finding a vaccine. 

“Food price inflation is at 40%, and I have nine-year-old who is missing out because our Vice Chancellor Boyle is first, cutting our wages in real terms, and second, trying to intimidate us by making ridiculous deductions for taking action.”

Sam, a post-graduate Criminology student said: “Our lecturers are great, but the way the university is treating them is terrible. We’re here today to show our support for our lecturers, and to deliver a message to Vice Chancellor Boyle.”

Dr Teresa Phipps, a Swansea UCU branch committee member added: “We have been working closely with the students’ union (SU) throughout the dispute as we are united by a common interest in our desire to offer the best learning and broader university experience for our students. 

“We are grateful that by working with the SU we have been able to hear the concerns of students communicate directly with all students here at Swansea.

“The university tends to give minimal information to students about industrial action and often misrepresents the reasons for this industrial action, but by working with the SU we have communicated the real reasons behind this dispute, answer student questions and have encouraged students to voice their concerns to university leadership. 

This has led to many messages of support from our students, both to individual members of staff and to the union more broadly.”

ENDS

Further information:

The Statement of Opinion can be found here – https://record.senedd.wales/StatementOfOpinion/348