Author Jon McGregor cancels university appearance over pensions row

Prize-winning author Jon McGregor has pulled out of an appearance at the University of East Anglia due to the ongoing dispute over pensions.

The author was due to appear at the UEA Spring Literary Festival on Wednesday (7 March), but has said that he will not cross the picket line. Instead, he will headline an evening of readings at the Students' Union in support of striking staff.

The 'Writers for the Strike' event will run from 5 - 7pm on Wednesday and will feature readings from leading writers including The Essex Serpent author Sarah Perry, Megan Bradbury and James Meek. It forms part of the 'Alternative University' - a programme of teach-ins and discussions organised by members of UCU taking strike action.

Author Jon McGregor said: 'Although I had been very much looking forward to reading at the UEA Spring 2018 Literary Festival, I will not be able to do so while strike action in defence of university staff pensions is ongoing.

'I fully support the UCU action, and - in common with a number of university vice-chancellors, government ministers, and the opinion pages of the Financial Times - call on Universities UK to return to meaningful negotiations immediately to avoid any further disruption not just to students but to the role universities have to play in the wider cultural life.

'I have never crossed a picket line in my life, and am not about to start now. Instead, I will be joining staff, students, and writers for an evening of readings and discussion as part of the Alternative University being organised by striking staff and hosted by the Students' Union.'

The pension dispute centres on proposals to end the defined benefit element of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) - a move which UCU says would leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement than under the current set-up.

In the recent strike ballot UCU members overwhelmingly backed industrial action. Locally, 87% of UCU members at UEA who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 66%.

UCU UEA branch president Brett Mills said: 'We really appreciate the support of all the writers and students who are making Wednesday's Writers for the Strike event possible. Strike action is always a last resort, but the threat to our pensions is so serious we have been left with no choice. We hope the university will seek to minimise any further disruption to students by ensuring that Universities UK commits to proper negotiations to resolve this dispute.'