A final-year student facing high stress while working on her dissertation was compensated with just £200 following a strike by university lecturers. Anna Nix, 22, a student at Newcastle University, was taken aback when informed about the lecturers’ strike due to job cuts. This led to a loss of five teaching hours for Anna, causing uncertainty about the strike’s duration and its impact on her studies.
Compensation for students affected by the strike ranged between £100 and £600, depending on the disrupted teaching hours. The strikes occurred between March and June, during which Newcastle University reportedly paid out £2.4 million in compensation to 10,934 students by the end of July.
Speaking to The Mirror, Anna expressed understanding for the lecturers’ actions but highlighted the added stress it brought to her final year. She mentioned the lack of information during the negotiations between the University and the UCU, making the situation more challenging for students.
The strike concluded at the end of June after assurances that there would be no further job cuts until the following year. A university spokesperson stated that compensation was offered to students based on the number of affected modules and tuition fees paid, aligning with guidelines from the Office for Students.
Jo Grady, the UCU general secretary, emphasized that job cuts could have been avoided if university management had engaged in fair negotiations. She called for better pay and job security for staff to prevent future industrial actions.