LECTURERS stood defiantly on pickets lines outside Bangor University entrances to protest against nationwide plans to slash their pensions.

Today (Thursday) saw the first day of 14 days of industrial action in Bangor, to be spread over four weeks in support of the national University and College Union strike action

The Bangor branch of the UCU is taking part in escalating industrial action to be held in February, on 22, 23, 26, 27 and 28, and in March, 5 - 8 and March 12 -16.

The protest in Wales follows a ballot of 2,000 University and College Union (UCU) members at Cardiff, Aberystwyth and Bangor universities, and University of Wales.

As part of proposed changes to the University Superannuation Scheme (USS) it is estimated an average lecturer could lose around £9,000 a year in retirement benefits.

Students at Bangor this week pledged their support for their lecturers and organised their own demonstration outside the Deiniol library, in Bangor, this morning.

President of the BUCU said: "These changes represent the biggest attack on UCU’s members that has ever been mounted and requires the biggest ever response.

"This first day of action in Bangor has gone very well and we have had a very good turn out with our pickets at university entrances. We have also had student support with down at the Deiniol library.

"It's important we make a stand and the strength of feeling about this issue is very strong."