Staff at the University of Greenwich are opposing the employer’s intent to axe up to 319 staff, around a quarter of its total workforce. The cuts would fall on the faculty of liberal arts and sciences, the faculty of engineering and science, and the Greenwich Business School. This, when the University made a surplus of £33 million in 2023/24 and has hundreds of millions of pounds in its reserves. Its vice-chancellor’s pay has soared from £299,000 to £374,000 since 2021.
UCU members at Keele University were on strike from 28 April to 2 May, against the employer’s threat to make another 150 job cuts. Newcastle University UCU branch members were on strike 12-16 May in a dispute over job cuts and redundancies and at the University of East Anglia UCU were on strike 13-16 May in a dispute over compulsory redundancies, financial accountability, and transparent governance.
Ballots
Ballots for strike action are taking place at a number of universities: at University of Edinburgh UCU members voted in an industrial action ballot (which closed on 20 May) in a dispute over management's threats of £140 million of cuts and failure to rule out compulsory redundancies, while at the University of Bradford members are also voting in a strike ballot, over plans to axe at least 300 jobs, closing down chemistry and film and television courses. Bournemouth University UCU members are being balloted for strike action over a proposed restructure and redundancy dismissals which will put 150-200 staff at risk. The branch is seeking a commitment of no compulsory redundancies, or a sizeable reduction in job cuts from the employer.
University of Liverpool UCU members (academic-related and professional services) are currently balloting in a dispute over management's refusal to reach agreement over on-site attendance. University of Lincoln UCU branch is balloting members for industrial action, following the employer’s failure to rule out compulsory redundancies. The University has announced up to 285 potential redundancies. This is on top of the 200+ jobs that went via voluntary means last year. Kingston University branch is also balloting members over the employer’s failure to commit to avoid compulsory redundancies. This involves closure of humanities and courses in criminology, politics and sociology.
Brunel
UCU has declared an academic boycott of Brunel University in response to the employer’s continued pursuit of mass redundancies. The boycott began on Tuesday 15 April, to make the employer withdraw its threat of compulsory redundancies, provide transparent financial information, enter collective conciliation talks through ACAS, and reinstate those already involuntarily dismissed.
UCU is asking members, supporters, and the international academic community to observe the boycott by:
· not applying for jobs at Brunel
· not attending or organising academic or other conferences at the university
· not giving talks or lectures at Brunel
· not accepting visiting appointments at Brunel
· not contributing to academic journals edited at or produced by the university
· not taking on roles as external examiners for Brunel's taught courses.