UNIVERSITY campaigners will once again go on strike today in protest of a variety of work-based shortcomings which union bosses feel are a serious concern.

Staff members at the University of Essex, who are represented by the University and College Union, are beginning what will be a five-day demonstration.

It will see them form picket lines at the campus’ main entrances as they strive to have their voices heard over pension cuts, deteriorating pay and poor working conditions.

They join more than 50,000 other university employees across a multiple of educational institutions who also plan to protest over the next two weeks.

The action follows university employers forcing through USS pension cuts, which the union says will see 35 per cent slashed from a typical member's retirement income.

The union is also now demanding an end to race, gender and disability pay injustice and a framework to eliminate zero-hours and other insecure contracts.

Its members also want meaningful action to tackle what they say are unmanageable workloads, as well as a £2,500 pay rise for all university employees.

The latest strikes come after staff at the University of Essex downed tools for three days in December and then for three weeks from February this year.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Vice chancellors across the UK have the power to end these disputes.

"The money is there to pay staff properly, tackle punishing working conditions and reverse pension cuts that will devastate retirement incomes.

"Instead, university bosses are choosing to sit on reserves worth tens of billions of pounds and make their own staff suffer.

"That’s why we are out on picket lines yet again. 

"By continuing to ignore the longstanding and serious concerns of staff, vice chancellors are not only pushing their own workforce to breaking point, but also doing serious harm to the future of higher education and preventing it from being the best it can be."