Teachers and lecturers have been striking across the city in a dispute over pay, pensions and contracts.

Some 70,000 members from the University and Colleges Union (UCU) across the country went on strike last Thursday and Friday as well as today.

Staff say they have been facing a real-terms pay cut of around 20 per cent since 2010 due to salaries not matching inflation.

Staff manned picket lines at sixth form colleges Bhasvic in Hove, Bexhill, Varndean and Collyer's in Horsham today for the final day of strike action this year. University of Brighton staff were also picketing at Victoria Gardens in Brighton today.

The Argus: Staff outside Brighton CCA in Grand Parade, BrightonStaff outside Brighton CCA in Grand Parade, Brighton (Image: Brighton UCU)

Mark Abel, a senior lecturer at the university and chairman of UCU Brighton, said: “The main driver for these strikes is pay because of inflation and the fact we have been awarded just three per cent.

“We’re also fighting over precarious insecure contracts, gender and race pay gaps, as well as workloads.

“People are riled up about these issues and want to do something about it. We have had 12 to 13 years consecutively where our pay has not met the year-on-year inflation.

“Before this year we reckon that was a 25 per cent erosion over 12 years. People think of university workers as being decently paid but you can’t say that any more with the way things have been going. People are suffering with the cost-of-living crisis.

The Argus: Staff outside Bhasvic collegeStaff outside Bhasvic college (Image: The Argus)

“We need to do something about it otherwise higher education is going down the pan.”

In July, the government offered a pay rise of five per cent in the next academic year, while some lower paid staff would receive up to 8.9 per cent.

Raj Jethwa, the University and Colleges Employer’s Association chief executive, said: “Despite the initial feedback from HE institutions suggesting low and isolated impact on students, it is saddening if even a single student misses out on a lecture because of industrial action, especially when UCEA is consulting on an early start to the 2023-24 pay negotiations to address cost-of-living concerns.

“Strike action will do nothing to support students, staff or the many HE institutions working hard to avoid redundancies or maintain staffing levels. Our member institutions delivered the August pay uplift despite unprecedented financial challenges.”