Buddy, can you spare a pipette?
I read a somewhat depressing article in the Independent yesterday about the upcoming strike action by AUT members over pay. It reported that 2,000 teaching and research staff are leaving UK Universities every year because of the poor salary levels compared to those in other countries (particularly the US, where salaries are about 50% higher).
Most people donât go in to academia for the money (fools!); they love the job and accept job satisfaction and slightly more freedom to do what they find most interesting, in exchange for lower pay. But now that occupational stress is increasing (relentless budget cuts, fewer staff expected to cover the teaching load of those who have left, cuts in grant funding), and house prices are soaring, people are beginning to question whether the rather dubious benefits are worth the sacrifice. Certainly, if you are supporting a family, it becomes hard to justify.
Good job we're not all the same!…