Science staff to join national protest march (From Oxford Mail)

Science staff to join national protest march

10:00am Friday 19th October 2012 in News

SCIENTISTS and software engineers at Harwell Oxford’s Diamond Light Source will take part in a national protest about pay and conditions.

Workers for the national synchrotron facility will travel to London tomorrow to take part in the Trades Union Congress March for a Future That Works.

Coach transport has been provided from across South Oxfordshire and members of the union Prospect will join the Hyde Park rally.

Diamond Light Source is a 560m particle accelerator generating X-rays for the scientific community, and is funded by the UK government and the Wellcome Trust.

Prospect spokesman Helen Stevens said: “Our members at Diamond Light Source feel very strongly that they are being unfairly treated by the Government’s current policies.

“In particular, they feel it is unfair that on top of a two-year pay freeze, and a further two-year one per cent pay cap, they are being asked to make significant increased contributions to their pension.”

Coach transport will leave at 7.15am from the bus park on the Harwell Oxford site, calling at Didcot Parkway, Culham Campus, Abbey Close, Abingdon, and St Giles in Oxford.