Student advisors, caterers and administrators at University of Staffordshire are among the workers in professional support services who could take strike action in a dispute over pay.
UNISON is balloting members about strike action, which closes on 20 March 2026 and are recommending its members vote yes.
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UNISON members are voting on whether they’re prepared to walk out
after they were offered an insulting below-inflation pay offer of just 1.4% for 2025/26 academic year. Making matters worse the University is refusing to implement the uplift until July 2026 and won’t give staff any back pay for the 11 months they missed out. This is a is real terms pay cut of 3.7% over this period.
Workers say the offer is insulting on the back of years of wage deals that have fallen behind soaring bills, and during a cost-of-living crisis. Their salaries have dropped by 20% in real terms over the past decade and no pay uplift has matched inflation since the financial crash in 2008.
In addition, cuts to the number of jobs have been made for several years adding to the workloads of the loyal staff remaining, and adding insult to injury, support workers’ pensions have been substantially reduced by the University transferring them into a lesser scheme, making them thousands of pounds poorer in retirement.
Meanwhile, the University of Staffordshire’s vice-chancellor received a 5.5% pay uplift compared to the previous year, which is almost four times the 1.4% staff have been offered this year. The vice- chancellors basic pay package is worth £326,000 (See the University’s financial statement pg 40).
Compare this to the average salary of a member at University of Staffordshire is between £20,000 and £28,000, a few above £35,000, and others less. Some members families are already struggling with sickness, food bank and welfare claims.
Job losses and wage cuts have a negative impact on the students experience and the Staffordshire local economy
A UNISON spokesperson said “Nobody wants to be on strike, so we are urging managers to stop any potential disruption by making a fair and decent pay offer. ”
