On Thursday, a nationwide higher education strike saw lecturers, librarians, cleaners and other support staff down tools for a day, as students joined them on the picket lines.

The one day strike, called jointly by the UCU, Unite and Unison trade unions, followed yet another year of a pay increase offer below inflation. Coupled with previous below-inflation pay rises, the measly one per cent increase means that since 2008 university staff have been forced to take a real-terms pay cut of 13 per cent.

In London today, a conference will assess how to bring together students and workers in opposition to austerity, after what seems to be a resurgence in activism on British campuses. Continue reading →