Latest news with #UCU
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Durham University staff vote for more strike action
Staff at Durham University have voted to take further industrial action in an ongoing row over job cuts. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) have announced plans for three additional walkouts in UCU said it followed what it described as management's rejection of its recent offer to pause strike action if "no compulsory redundancies could be guaranteed until the end of the calendar year".Durham University called the move "unnecessary", insisting there were "no current plans for redundancies". The strikes will take place on 13, 14 and 19 June. 'Needless hostility' Earlier this year, UCU members at Durham overwhelmingly backed industrial action in opposition to the university's plans to slash millions of pounds from its budget, putting 200 jobs at union said the cuts were targeting professional services and support staff who provide the backbone infrastructure that allowed the facility to run general secretary Jo Grady accused the university of "needless hostility" over its refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. She said staff had already made "huge sacrifices to deliver the vast majority of savings through voluntary means". "All that remains is a small gap that could easily be managed without threatening jobs, but instead of offering reassurance management has chosen provocation."Our members will not stand by while livelihoods hang in the balance and the ball is now in the university's court." A Durham University spokesperson said the action was "unnecessary". "We have tried strenuously to ensure financial savings can be made through voluntary means," they said."Durham UCU know there are no current plans for redundancies and we will continue to work constructively with our four trade unions to ensure the university's financial sustainability."They added any examinations would not be affected by the proposed strike dates and students would be kept updated on any important developments. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
University of Derby student's fears over potential job cuts
A student at the University of Derby has said she is concerned about the future of her education as the university is considering cutting a number of academic jobs to save money. Verity Verhoven, who is studying for her MA in screenwriting, said she was worried she might not gain her qualification, if her tutor loses her across the country have been revealing big financial problems due to rising costs and the falling number of overseas are opposing the potential cuts but university leaders have said painful choices have to be made. 'Lot of anxiety' It is understood the University of Derby originally put 85 academic staff roles at risk of redundancy but this has now been reduced to 21, who completed her degree in film and TV production at Derby before enrolling on the MA (Master of Arts) in screenwriting for film course at a cost of £7,000, said the situation "filled her with a lot of anxiety". She said: "Students have been told very little, so from our perspective there's a lot of, am I going to get my degree? What's going to happen? Am I going to get taught by someone else?"I've built up a rapport and collaborated with my lecturer for so long, and if she goes, what am I supposed to do? I'm worried I won't even get my MA, which has been a dream of mine since I was a kid." Tristram Hooley, a professor of Career Education at the university and a member of the University and College Union (UCU) said: "We don't really think there's a very strong rationale for the redundancies."We don't think it's a very sensible decision to get rid of some of your most senior, skilled and able members of staff but what we do all agree on is that there is a higher education funding crisis and that is very worrying and is affecting universities right across the country."Union members in Derby have put together an alternative funding plan which they said could save money and avoid job Hooley also said he thought the government should step in and help with university finances. Deputy vice chancellor of the University of Derby, Prof Keith Mclay said: "Students are at the absolute heart of everything we do. "Their excellent experience is marked out by our TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework) gold rating and also by our top five for quality."The university did not want to comment on the extent of the financial difficulties at in relation to the potential job losses and concerns of the academics, Prof McLay said: "We're prioritising those colleagues in which we can have the roles that are engaged in exceptional world-leading research that can provide solutions to the world's problems but also and importantly ensure that we are informing our degree circular here at the University of Derby, so that we can maintain our excellence in learning and teaching." He also added they have looked at the alternative financial plans put forward by academics but said many of the cost-cutting measures proposed were already in place. The consultation talks between the university, staff and unions are continuing.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Strike action threat over university cuts
Union members at the University of Bradford have voted to strike over a £16m budget cut which could see jobs axed and some courses closed. The University and College Union (UCU) said a ballot had a turnout of 57% of which 82% voted in favour of industrial action. The union said members would meet on Thursday to decide on what steps to take, which could include a strike or action short of strike beginning as soon as 12 June, unless management ruled out compulsory redundancies. A University of Bradford spokesperson said, like many similar institutions, it was "facing significant financial challenges" and was in the middle of a review to help "reshape" how it delivered higher education. The UCU said the university had failed to set out where the cuts would fall, but said 230 professional service staff and more than 90 academics were already at risk. The union said a further 200 academics would be put at risk of redundancy in the coming weeks. At an all-staff meeting earlier this year, the university's chief financial officer said the aim was to reduce staffing to the level it was in 2019, the UCU claimed. "This would equate to around 300 full-time equivalent jobs, but well over 300 staff once part-time roles are included," a union spokesperson said. The cuts would see chemistry and film & television courses shut down, according to the UCU. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Bradford staff have overwhelmingly backed strike action because they refuse to see important courses cut, jobs axed, and staff and students pay the price for management's financial failings. "The proposed cuts would also harm businesses throughout the region that rely on the university and limit the cultural offer available to local students." She said management and the vice chancellor needed to listen to the union's concerns and rule out compulsory redundancies. The university spokesperson said: "Like many UK universities, we are facing significant financial challenges. "We are currently in the middle of a review that will help reshape the way we deliver higher education. "We appreciate this is a difficult time for our staff and we will continue to support them in any way we can." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. UCU University of Bradford Parents fight closure of university campus nursery
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Strike action threat over University of Bradford cuts
Union members at the University of Bradford have voted to strike over a £16m budget cut which could see jobs axed and some courses University and College Union (UCU) said a ballot had a turnout of 57% of which 82% voted in favour of industrial union said members would meet on Thursday to decide on what steps to take, which could include a strike or action short of strike beginning as soon as 12 June, unless management ruled out compulsory redundancies.A University of Bradford spokesperson said, like many similar institutions, it was "facing significant financial challenges" and was in the middle of a review to help "reshape" how it delivered higher education. The UCU said the university had failed to set out where the cuts would fall, but said 230 professional service staff and more than 90 academics were already at union said a further 200 academics would be put at risk of redundancy in the coming an all-staff meeting earlier this year, the university's chief financial officer said the aim was to reduce staffing to the level it was in 2019, the UCU claimed."This would equate to around 300 full-time equivalent jobs, but well over 300 staff once part-time roles are included," a union spokesperson cuts would see chemistry and film & television courses shut down, according to the UCU. UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "Bradford staff have overwhelmingly backed strike action because they refuse to see important courses cut, jobs axed, and staff and students pay the price for management's financial failings."The proposed cuts would also harm businesses throughout the region that rely on the university and limit the cultural offer available to local students."She said management and the vice chancellor needed to listen to the union's concerns and rule out compulsory university spokesperson said: "Like many UK universities, we are facing significant financial challenges."We are currently in the middle of a review that will help reshape the way we deliver higher education."We appreciate this is a difficult time for our staff and we will continue to support them in any way we can." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
No-confidence vote in University of Lincoln bosses is passed
A union representing academics has passed a vote of no confidence in the senior leadership team at the University of Owen Clayton, branch chair of the University and College Union (UGU), said a ballot on strike action was also being comes after the university announced in April that nearly 300 jobs were at risk.A spokesperson for the university said there was a "clear vision and plan" amid the financial pressures facing UK universities. The union branch represents all 1,500 academic staff at the university, whether they are members or not, said Dr said the vote of no confidence was in response to "the direction the university is going in and the decisions that have been made".He added: "They are talking about cutting up to 285 jobs... but they are also talking about changing the nature of the university, saying that certain parts of the university don't matter anymore and we can get rid of them."He said the cuts would fall across a number of areas, including the Lincoln International Business School, the history department and the Eleanor Glanville Institute – an equality, diversity and inclusion institute that works to inform policies and practices at the the ballot, the union called on the university's board of governors to act."We want [them] to do something because the staff don't have confidence in their leaders anymore," Dr Clayton described the relationship with university leadership as "acrimonious" but added that the dispute would end if compulsory redundancies were ruled out."If they don't, we could be looking at strike action over the summer but also at the start of the next semester," he said. 'Careful management' A university spokesperson said: "As winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize and one of the few UK universities to hold triple gold status in the national Teaching Excellence Framework, the university has a clear vision and plan to keep delivering for our students and communities amid the financial pressures facing UK universities."A recent report from the Office for Students predicts nearly half of universities will return a financial deficit in 2024/25. We expect to achieve a break-even position due to careful management of finances over the past two years."The changes we are making now are key to adapt to the new higher education landscape."The university said the board of governors had "full confidence" in the senior leadership team. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
