About 61 top universities in the United Kingdom will be going on an industrial strike action for two weeks over planned changes to staff pensions.

According to BBC, University of Oxford, Cambridge University, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), University of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and York are among the universities affected.

A week ago, members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted in favour of industrial action, with staff expressing fear about the pension changes, which they say could cost an average lecturer £200,000 (N101 million) over the course of their retirement.

On Monday, the UCU confirmed plans to embark on the industrial action, except demands are met. Four Welsh Universities also confirmed plans to join the strike.

Of the universities present, 61 voted overwhelmingly in favour of action, with 88 percent in favour of strikes and 93 percent in favour of action short of a strike.

The strikes are planned to begin on February 22, with a two-day walkout, and could escalate to blocks of up to five days in future weeks.

BBC says staff are angry at plans to change the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) from a defined benefit scheme, where they would have a guaranteed income in retirement, to a defined contribution scheme, where their pensions would be subject to changes in the stock market.

Sally Hunt, the UCU general secretary, said: “UCU members have made it quite clear that they are prepared to take sustained strike action to defend their pensions”.

“USS already offers worse benefits than other schemes available in universities, and UUK’s proposals would make matters worse.

“Universities will be hit with levels of strike action not seen before on UK campuses if a deal cannot be done over the future of USS pensions.”

Universities UK, the body in charge of the pensions, however, argues that the adjustment to the pension scheme “is a necessary step, made in the best interests of university staff, to put USS on a sustainable footing for the long-term”.

“The scheme will continue to offer attractive pensions through market-leading defined contribution benefits.”

http://www.theprecisionng.com/2018/01/oxford-cambridge-61-uk-varsities-to-go.html

An old man alleged to have kidnapped a child has been apprehended in Ondo city, Ondo state, Southwest, Nigeria, THE PRECISION has gathered.

The man was caught around Odosida area of the city, not far from the Osemawe's palace.

At the moment irate mobs have beaten the man to stupor urging him to name his sponsors.

Effort by the Divisional Police Officer of Enu Owa police station very close to the area to arrest the situation proved abortive as residents resisted every attempt to release him to the security personnel.

Watch Video here


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJoRccphw54

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1sTpcS9ERE

Ondo Corps Member Inaugurates Public Rest Room http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/12/ondo-corps-member-inaugurates-public.html

It is claimed that the raids were carried out between DSS and the Nigerian Police, later learnt Police bungled some of the raids by tipping off their targets.

The security agencies claim the raids took place after they carried out independent investigations from petitions submitted to the NJC against some of the judges.

Raid ought to have taken place last week but had to be postponed. Arrested judges will appear in court early next week!

Read more http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/10/arrested-judges-across-nigeria-here-are.html

During a press briefing on the development, the Secretary of the Makarfi-led faction, Senator Ben Obi and that of the Sheriff-led faction, Mr Cairo Ojougboh confirmed that the two parties are now prepare to sheathe the sword and move forward. Read more... http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/09/pdp-closes-rank-as-makarfi-and-sheriff.html

“Equally disturbing is the public perception of the primary. there have been so many negative reports on this exercise all over the print, electronic and social media…A party founded on a platform of due process and which prides itself with zero tolerance for corruption and fraud, cannot be seen to condone illegality.” The committee added. Read more http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/09/ondo-2016-apc-to-rerun-faulty-primaries.html

In a series of tweets she posted on her twitter handle, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Relations & Diaspora, Mrs Abike-Dabiri said she asked the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg who was in the State House in Abuja, Nigeria's Capital on what the latter is doing to put an end to cloned account of his platform. Read more http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/09/mark-zuckerbergs-reaction-to-abike.html

A lecturer at the department of Anatomy, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State, Mr Akinyemi Akinsola who conducted a research on seed and leaf extracts of Ugwu or fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) on induced benign prostatic hyperplasia, has noted that the leaf and seed might be vital in the amelioration of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasa (BPH). Read more http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/09/ugwu-leaf-can-ameliorate-bph-says_2.html

Barring any unforeseen circumstances the governorship election in Edo state will hold on the 10th of September, 2016. Meanwhile, the main political parties in state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have started planning in preparation for the governorship election. One thing is certain a successor to Governor Adams Oshiomhole must emerge after the election. read more http://www.precisionjournos.com/2016/07/edo-2016-what-is-at-stake-for-masses.html