You may have seen the appalling news that Sheffield Hallam is seeking to move all teaching-only staff over to a subsidiary company where they will no longer be eligible for the Teacher’s Pension Scheme (TPS).

This is the latest announcement in a line of institutions who are seeking to cut costs associated with TPS. We appreciate that you may have concerns about potential changes here at MMU too.

MMU is indeed undertaking a “Pension Flexibility Project”. Read the statement provided by the university to us here. The key part of the statement is really:

The project will look at ways to broaden the range of schemes available. This includes expanding access, on an opt-in basis, to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) to more academic staff, and exploring a new optional Defined Contribution (DC) scheme, known as FlexHE, which is designed to offer more personal flexibility. FlexHE is a scheme designed for the Higher Education sector and allows individuals to adjust their contribution levels or combine pension pots more easily if they change roles. How the University chooses to use FlexHE will be determined through the project. It is important to emphasise that current staff will not be required to move away from their current pension scheme if they do not wish to.

The branch has had an initial meeting with management on the project and have sought advice from UCU pension experts on what we have seen so far.

MMU are, in part, reviewing pensions to save money and as such it is unlikely that changes will improve pension provision in the long term. The information we have seen to date does not give a fair and complete comparison between the USS and TPS schemes. The experts we scope to described it as “unacceptable, disingenuous and misleading”.

We will be following up with management on the basis of the advice we have received and will also be writing to ask for clarification on a number of key questions.

We will keep you updated and informed as far as we are able to.

We will be looking to hold an open meeting for academic staff at MMU on pensions where we will be able to discuss concerns, and the differences between TPS and USS more fully, and where we will hopefully be able to hear from other branches like Northumbria who are currently in dispute over pension changes.

Let us know your thoughts and keep an eye out for further updates.

Last Saturday, 28 March, the #TogetherAlliance March took place in central London. There were more than 500,000 people, according to the media. 

Ten coaches departed from Greater Manchester that day. From the MMU-UCU branch, eight delegates attended: Fiona, Gregoris, Ian, Kathy, Liz, Matt, Miguel, and Pete; some accompanied by their guests; not all travelled by the same means, but they represented our union branch well. Thanks to all of them! Among the diverse UCU delegations, we could identify banners from these Higher Education institutions: University of the Arts, London, Birkbeck, Bristol, City St George, Coventry City adult education college, Croydon, Dundee, Imperial College, London College of Fashion, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Manchester, Middlesex University, Morley College, North York, Open University, Royal Holloway, SOAS, Strathclyde, Sussex, University of Brighton, University of Edinburgh, University of Lincoln, and West Midlands. 

It was fantastic to be surrounded by people from different ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds, and to march together. It was the best manifestation of equity, diversity and inclusion we have ever experienced. Everyone went with the flow and enjoyed an environment of support, camaraderie, complicity, and companionship, all together for the same cause. Before the march, UCU set up a pink gazebo so people could gather and enjoy some good music. Plenty of UCU woolly hats and small UCU flags were distributed among all the by-passers. It was reassuring and encouraging to meet and interact with people from all over the UK who had decided to travel from long distances to fight against the far right and say it loud and clear, to avoid any doubt, that this country does not want hate, fear or division, but love, hope and unity instead.

Miguel Angel Saona Vallejos (UCU Rep)