THOUSANDS of students will be without lessons as staff go on strike for 14 days. 

Members of the University and College Union, at Essex University, will walkout on Thursday in a row over pensions.

The university, which has campuses in Colchester and Southend, is one of 64 across the UK affected by the strikes, which will last over 14 days.

In total, 14,000 students will be affected at Essex University, with staff on picket lines from 8am.

The university’s vice-chancellor Professor Anthony Forster criticised the Universities UK proposal and urged them to negotiate in order to avert the strike and commit to protecting staff pensions.

UCU said that more vice-chancellors should speak out on behalf of staff and students in an effort to resolve the dispute.

Peter Patrick, vice-president of University of Essex UCU, said: “It’s encouraging that our own vice-chancellor shares common ground with staff opposing these devastating proposals.

“However, warm words won’t save anyone’s pension - if unnecessary disruption is to be avoided then university leaders across the country need to keep the pressure on Universities UK to get back to the negotiating table.”

The dispute centres on proposals to end the defined benefit element of the universities pension scheme. UCU says this would leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement than under the current set-up.

Lecturers would be out on strike on Thursday and Friday as well as February 26, 27 and 28. They will strike again on March 5, 6, 7, 8 and all of the following week beginning March 12.

UCU regional official Lydia Richards 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 most universities have refused to engage with the union and a real insult to staff and to students.

"Professor Forster’s intervention is welcome and more vice-chancellors should be speaking out to try and resolve this dispute."