‘I don’t think I can go on much longer’
University of Northampton staff speak out
By Natalie Bloomer
Following three days of strike action, NN Journal looks at why staff at the University of Northampton took to the picket line.
Helen* is one of thousands of staff from 58 universities to take strike action in a dispute over pay and pensions. She has worked in higher education for 20 years and is now a senior lecturer at the University of Northampton. She says an ever growing workload is forcing her to reconsider her future.
“This is the first time I’ve been on the picket line although I did silently support the previous action taken. What changed for me was hearing about a Welsh lecturer who took his own life after struggling with his workload. It just struck a chord with me.
“There are more and more demands on us. I feel really bad and I don’t think I can go on much longer. But this isn’t just about me, our working conditions are the student’s learning conditions. We can’t sustain this type of workload.”
Helen says where she used to have at least 10 hours for each fin…