Responding to the announcement that staff at another six universities can join industrial action on USS pensions, a spokesperson for Universities UK, representing USS employers said:
“We believe the best way forward is to work collectively and constructively to secure a pension scheme that is highly valued by members and affordable for all. The current tripartite talks between UCU, USS, and UUK, which are set to continue at least until March, are making good progress on building a shared understanding on the future of the scheme, jointly developing governance reforms and considering alternative pathways for the 2020 valuation.
“While we understand that some additional UCU branches have now backed industrial action following re-ballots, we hope that further strikes can be avoided and that our constructive discussions on the future of the scheme can continue.”