From the 25th of November to the 4th of December some UEA staff are striking to support the USS pension scheme, as the UUK (University UK) demand to increase their contributions. This is a national strike for members of the University and College Union. 

All staff that are involved in the strike will not be paid for the time they strike for, it is not a 'free holiday'. Pensions are a legal requirement by employers and our staff are striking due to the limitations placed on their pension. However, there are wider issues about equity and pay, casualisation (insecure contracts) and workload, that UEA staff are also very concerned about. The protection of fair working conditions, including pensions, affect us, as students now and as employees in the future. 

"Pensions are not a freebie or an arbitrary perk. They are part of earned income. Pensions savings are made up of direct contributions from employee pay as well as contributions from the employer as earned benefit." (UCU Strike - teaching doc).

This petition is created as we, university students, stand with our lecturers and other UEA staff in their strike, and demand our tuition fees are refunded for this period. Bangor University have requested a refund of £380 to students, as a five day week is £300 of fees. 

We hope the university will appreciate our loss of education time and the impact of cuts to the pension for staff, and subsequently act upon it. 

As Elaena Shipp says, "If universities want to run themselves like businesses and treat students like customers, that cuts both ways – customers who don’t get what they pay for are entitled to a refund.”

We ask that all students who sign this petition also email the Vice Chancellor David Richardson (D.richardson@uea.ac.uk ) to express your concern about the impact of the increased contribution and loss of benefits to the USS pensions on the staff.