Kingston University has vowed to support its students and ensure 'disruption to teaching is kept to a minimum' following the The University and College Union's (UCU) strike announcement for February and March.

A strike of 18 days was announced by the UCU on Friday (January 13) which will involve more than 70,000 staff across 150 universities due to disputes surrounding pay, working conditions, and pensions. 

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association offered a pay rise between 4 and 5%, which the UCU have rejected, as well as demanding that employers restore benefits and do away with the cuts that the UCU estimate will lose the average employee 35% of their guaranteed retirement income. 

Following the UCU's announcement on Friday, the union's general secretary Jo Grady, said: "Today our union came together to back an unprecedented programme of escalating strike action. The clock is now ticking for the sector to produce a deal or be hit with widespread disruption. 

"University staff dedicate their lives to education and they want to get back to work, but that will only happen if university vice-chancellors use the vast wealth of the sector to address over a decade of falling pay, rampant insecure employment practices and devastating pension cuts. 

"The choice is theirs." 

Dates for the strike action have yet to be announced and Kingston University is currently unaware of how many staff will be participating due to union members not being required to inform their employers in advance.

However, the university has pledged to do 'everything' it can to keep disruption to teaching to a minimum and has confirmed campuses will remain open throughout the strike period.

A spokesperson for Kingston University told Nub News: "The University is aware the University and College Union (UCU) intends to begin a period of industrial action in February and March in relation to a national dispute over pay and conditions. 

"Dates for this action have yet to be confirmed and we don't know how many staff will be taking part, since union members aren't required to inform their employers in advance.  

"Our campuses will remain open as usual throughout this period and the University will continue to do everything it can to ensure any disruption to teaching and other activities is kept to a minimum.

"We are conscious of the importance of limiting the impact on students, who are also affected by the current national cost of living crisis, and are committed to doing everything we can to support them."