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University of Sheffield staff to join climate change protests on Friday

18 September 2019

Staff will join students and climate crisis protestors on Friday (20 September), as part of the campaign for global climate action.

University of Sheffield Vice Chancellor, Professor Koen Lamberts, has agreed to a stoppage between 12pm and 12.30pm for staff to show their support for the action against climate change by joining the protest.

The University and College Union (UCU) welcomed the move and called for more colleges and universities to make allowances for their staff to get involved in Friday's protests.

UCU members will be holding a rally at 12pm at the Student's Union, on the university's main concourse, where students and staff will hear from members of UCU and other local unions, as well as Professor Lamberts and representatives of Sheffield Youth Strike 4 Climate.

Last week the trade union movement officially backed UCU's call to support Friday's school strikes and urged workers to join in the action for 30 minutes. The University and College Union (UCU) has written to the national representatives of universities and colleges asking them to allow staff to participate.

Other institutions that have confirmed support for the climate protests include the University of Edinburgh, the University of Leicester, Bristol University, and Capital City College Group.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'The trade union movement is fully behind the actions against the climate crisis. The work done by Greta Thunberg and school students around the world has been inspirational and now it's time for the rest of us to make our voices heard. We are pleased Sheffield can be added to the growing number of colleges and universities that are encouraging their staff to get involved with Friday's protests and other action.'

Last updated: 18 September 2019