HUNDREDS of Winchester University staff joined national protests for a pay rise today (Oct 31).

Lecturers, cleaners and catering staff joined picket lines outside university buildings in Burma Road, Sparkford Road and Romsey Road as part of the one-day walkout organised by Unison, UCU and Unite.

Simon Boxley, UCU branch secretary and university programme leader in education studies, said: “Unlike a lot of other parts of the public sector there is money in the university coming in through the new fees.

“Our vice-chancellor's pay has gone up by 28 per cent since 2009 while other staff have got, in real terms, a 13 per cent pay cut.

“We are trying to rebalance the situation and get a little bit of fairness back.”

Prof Elizabeth Stuart, deputy Vice-Chancellor, said:  “The university is broadly sympathetic to the trade union’s case, particularly for staff on the lower end of the pay scale who in recent years have received small salary increases. The higher education sector has seen much change in recent years and the full impact of higher tuition fees is yet to be ascertained.

“The University of Winchester is open as normal. Strike action inevitably impacts most negatively upon students, some lectures have been cancelled as a consequence of the strike, and the University regrets that the trade unions moved to strike action so quickly.”