Nearly 2,000 people have signed a petition calling on Cardiff University to compensate students during a strike by lecturers later this month.
Lecturers in Cardiff, along with another 60 universities nationwide affiliated with The University and College Union (NCU), will strike for fourteen working days over a period of four weeks in a dispute over changes to staff pensions.
The NCU claims it will make lecturers £10,000 worse off after retirement.
All lecturers and seminars with students will be cancelled during the strike.
A representative for the NCU, Professor Andy Williams, said it is the university’s responsibility to make sure students are compensated for the lost learning hours.
“I would encourage all students, whether they support us taking strike action or not, to write to the Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan asking to be reimbursed.
“Taking strike action was the absolute last resort and was something we did not want to do, but we felt that we had no other chance.
“With the inevitable loss in learning hours, students definitely deserved to be compensated in some form of the other.”
In a statement sent to CJS News, Cardiff University said they are doing all they can to minimize the inevitable impact on teaching and learning
“Schools are being supported to identify where they may need to vary teaching and assessment activities in order to ensure that students have an opportunity to achieve the learning outcomes of their modules and programs.
“This may include rescheduling of teaching sessions, alternative delivery of teaching activity without rescheduling, and alternative means of assessment and in providing assessment feedback.”
Students have also accused Cardiff University of not putting the correct provisions in place to help students cope with the strike.
Media student, Gwennan Gravell, said she is not sure how her modules will be affected.
“When the strike takes place I don’t know which of my lecturers and classes will be cancelled.
“I would like to see the university explain what will happen when the strike takes place.”
The strike is due to begin on February 22, with Cardiff University staff staging a walkout at 8am.
