Students have occupied the Hicks Building near the Students’ Union as a further display of retaliation against management at the University of Sheffield during UCU strikes.
The action comes after Jessop West was occupied by students on Monday afternoon to show solidarity with staff on strike against disputes over pay cuts, pensions, and workloads for university and college staff. The Hicks Building was claimed this morning while teaching was ongoing, forcing classes to be cut short, while Jessop West remains closed due to the ongoing occupation.
Social media posts from the ‘rentstrikeuos’ instagram account suggest the occupation was intended to show the university in a bad light ahead of upcoming open days and to help with ‘educating prospective students on the unfair decision to close the archaeology department’.
Liam Fitzpatrick, a Journalism student at the University of Sheffield, said: “We were halfway through a lecture when the security came into the room and informed us we had to leave as the building was closed due to the occupation.
“As I left there was a sizeable crowd gathering on the steps. They were preventing anyone from entering the building.
“I am sympathetic to the cause and the reasons for striking but feel the timing, frequency, and extent of the strikes is too much. The occupying of buildings and verbal attacks on non-striking staff is ridiculous and damages learning. I don’t expect this stunt to go anywhere.”
‘Rentstrikeuos’ has been contacted for comment. A postgraduate open day is due to take place on 23 Feb.
