UNIVERSITY of Bolton lecturers will not be taking part in a wave of strike action which gets underway this week.

Unlike their counterparts at 64 universities across the country, including Manchester and Salford, they are not affected by pension changes which the UCU union says will leave a typical lecturer £10,000 a year worse off.

This is because, like many newer institutions,the pensions of lecturers at the university do not fall under the Universities Superannuation Scheme which is at the centre of the dispute.

Instead they are in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, which most school teachers also pay into.

The industrial action will see 14 days of escalating strikes over a four-week period, beginning with a five-day walkout on Thursday

Martyn Moss, UCU regional official, said: ‘Nobody wants to take strike action, but staff feel they have no choice.

“These hardline proposals would slash staff pensions and are simply uncalled for.

‘It is staggering that the universities have refused to engage with the union and a real insult to staff and to students.