Academics and teachers took to the streets of Cambridge today to protest over pay, pensions and job security.

The protesters were members of the University and College Union (UCU) who were taking part in a national day of action.

Union members are striking over the proposed changing of pensions from ‘final salary’ to ‘career average related earnings ’ and the pinning of increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rather than the Retail Price Index (RPI).

There is also a separate dispute regarding pay increases. The Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association (UCEA) offered union members a pay rise of 0.4% for the next year which UCU members want to see increased.

Members of the union voted in favour of strike action earlier this month.

Over 100 staff from the University of Cambridge, Anglia Ruskin University and local colleges were in attendance.

The academics attended picket lines before holding a rally outside Old Schools – the administrative centre of the university.

Alan Whitaker, the national president of UCU told the crowd: “The first thing to say about these attacks on our pensions is that there is no need for them.

“In terms of the university pension scheme it’s a well-funded scheme in good financial health. There is no economic imperative for these attacks on our pensions.

“Likewise, with TPS (Teachers’ Pension Scheme) it does not need tinkering with. It’s in perfectly sound health.”

Protests were also staged around the country with tens of thousands of lecturers and university staff staging a mass walkout. Up to 500 universities and colleges are estimated to have been affected.

Students at universities around the UK found some of their lectures cancelled today after their lecturers walked out.

However, disruption at the University of Cambridge was minimised given that Lent term has already finished.