Latest news with #UniversityandCollegeUnion
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
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
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
No-confidence vote in university bosses is passed
A union representing academics has passed a vote of no confidence in the senior leadership team at the University of Lincoln. Dr Owen Clayton, branch chair of the University and College Union (UGU), said a ballot on strike action was also being held. It 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 Clayton. He 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 university. Following 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 said. He 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. 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. Uni could shed 285 jobs in 'worst case scenario' University of Lincoln University and College Union
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Universities should defy law on lavatories for trans people, says union
Universities should defy the Supreme Court ruling on lavatories for transgender people, a union has said. The University and College Union has said transgender women should be allowed to use women's facilities and transgender men should be allowed to use the men's lavatories. Its congress voted to 'stand shoulder to shoulder with the trans community' after the Supreme Court last month ruled that the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. In the wake of the ruling, the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued interim guidance, saying trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals, with the same applying for trans men using men's lavatories. More detailed draft guidance was published last week, with a consultation period running until June 30. The guidance says people can be asked to confirm their birth sex so long as it is 'necessary and proportionate for a service provider, those exercising public functions or an association to know an individual's birth sex to be able to discharge their legal obligations'. It cautions that any such question 'should be done in a sensitive way which does not cause discrimination or harassment'. The University and College Union (UCU), which is the UK's largest post-16 education union and represents more than 120,000 education staff, held its congress on Monday where delegates backed four motions committing the union to 'fight back against unprecedented attacks on trans people's human rights'. Jo Grady, the union's general secretary, said: 'Our congress has once again committed our union to stand shoulder to shoulder with the trans community in the fight for equality. 'This year trans people have suffered a wave of attacks against them, but UCU remains steadfast as one of their most vocal allies. 'We refuse to allow trans people to be the collateral of a Right-wing culture war and while they continue to experience violence at home, in the workplace and on the airwaves, we will stand by them.' As a result of one of the motions, the UCU has resolved to call on employers to support the right for staff to use the gendered spaces appropriate to them, saying that the Supreme Court ruling contradicts the current practices that allow this at most post-16 institutions. As part of the motion the congress also committed to issuing a statement to members and on social media platforms 'expressing concern' at the ruling and 'reaffirming our steadfast commitment to defending trans people', and to call on employers to develop and implement trans-inclusive policies 'as a matter of urgency'. Another motion criticised the Government's 'decision to ignore the damning critiques' of the Cass Review, and in its wake the union will write to the Health Secretary condemning the report's findings and methods. Published last year, the review concluded children had been let down by a lack of research and evidence on medical interventions in gender care, which led to NHS England announcing a new plan which requires new referrals into the clinics to have been seen by a GP and mental health specialist or paediatrician first. The UCU will also advocate for healthcare that 'affirms and values' trans people in its letter to Wes Streeting as it criticised the ban on the supply of puberty blockers for young trans people – which was made permanent in December and which means they are not prescribed on the NHS to children for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Plans remain in place to set up a clinical trial into the use of puberty blockers this year, although no patients have yet been recruited while ethical and regulatory approval is awaited. Two motions were concerned with the actions of US president Donald Trump's administration, with one condemning its 'concerted attacks upon trans people'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Wales Online
15-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
More Cardiff University staff told jobs are no longer at risk but 650 remain under threat
More Cardiff University staff told jobs are no longer at risk but 650 remain under threat Cardiff University Vice Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner said she realised many staff would still be worried. A total of 133 staff have taken redundancy, voluntary severance or left since widescale cuts were announced in January Professor Wendy Larner is vice-chancellor of Cardiff University (Image: Jared Gray ) Cardiff University has issued an update on redundancies with 650 staff still under threat of losing their jobs. Since widescale cuts were announced in January a total of 133 staff have taken redundancy, voluntary severance or left, Vice Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner said in a message to staff this morning. The initial plan to cut 400 full time equivalent posts now stands at 138 as a result of people leaving, taking redundancy and changes in departments being agreed. Staff in the schools of healthcare sciences, medicine, biosciences, English, communications and philosophy, whose jobs were at risk, have been told this morning that their jobs are now safe and their departments are no longer threatened with redundancies. The university had already agreed earlier this month not to make any compulsory redundancies before the end of the 2025 calendar year as part of a deal which saw the threat of strike action and a marking boycott by University and College Union (UCU) members lifted. The threat of shutting the school of nursing was also lifted. In her message to staff today, Professor Larner acknowledged the last three months had been a "really difficult time for many colleagues". She said she did not "underestimate the distress and worry that continues to be experienced by our community as we address our academic and financial sustainability." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The university has said it faces a deficit of £31m+. Like other institutions it said it had been hit by pressures including rising costs and a drop in numbers of higher paying international students. Article continues below Professor Larner said the university had now been able to remove the schools of healthcare sciences, medicine, biosciences, and English, communications and philosophy out of the scope of the cuts consultation. This was thanks to a combination of the number of staff in those schools taking voluntary redundancy or leaving and the university's acceptance of alternative proposals submitted by staff. "Removing these schools from scope means that the number of staff in the 'at risk' pool has now reduced to 650. We have also made significant progress in reducing the academic FTE (full-time equivalent) target we had set," she said. "We had initially proposed a target of 400 FTE. I am able to confirm we are now seeking to reduce FTE by 138. That reduction will take place over a number of years." Professor Larner explained that the number of jobs being shed had changed during the cuts consultation for a number of reasons. The university accepted alternative proposals which would see schools teaching higher numbers of students than in the original proposals – for example, chemistry will retain the BSc medicinal chemistry degree, mathematics will create a new programme, and the university will continue to offer nursing - that means the need to keep more staff in those departments. The alternative proposal to keep the school of nursing open meant lowering the number of job cuts by 40, for example. However, staff and unions have pointed out that many staff had already left the school of nursing when it was initially earmarked for closure. The university's controversial plan to open a campus in Kazakhstan in September has meant staff will be needed there which has also reduced the target of FTE job cuts by 34. The Vice Chancellor said she appreciated that many people were still in scope of potential redundancy and worried about the threat of losing their jobs: "I know that this offers little comfort for those of you whose roles remain at risk. We have, of course, now committed to no compulsory redundancies in 2025, and reconfirmed that compulsory redundancies will only ever be an action of last resort in future years. "We are continuing to review the schools that remain in the 'in scope' pool with a view to removing as many staff as possible from this pool. " The UCU has been approached for comment. Article continues below
