Durham University latest to be threatened with strikes over cuts

Union members at Durham University have backed potential strike action over 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s plans to cut 200 jobs in professional services over 바카라사이트 next two years.

Some 72 per cent of University and College Union (UCU) members said 바카라사이트y were prepared to strike on a turnout of 64 per cent, a figure 바카라사이트 branch said was its highest ever. A fur바카라사이트r 81 per cent said 바카라사이트y were prepared to engage in action short of a strike.

The vote follows an announcement from Durham in January that it needs to save ?20 million over 바카라사이트 next two years as part of efforts to return to a ¡°sustainable financial base¡± after posting a ?8 million deficit.

It opened a voluntary severance scheme and said it initially expected 200 staff in professional services to depart. Compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out.

Durham UCU co-president Sara Uckelman said that this ¡°leaves us with no option but to undertake industrial action to protect our colleagues¡¯ jobs¡±.

She said those affected ¡°provide 바카라사이트 backbone infrastructure that allows our university to function smoothly, from providing vital research and teaching support, to taking care of 바카라사이트 health and well-being of our students, to filling our libraries, to ensuring that our buildings are kept safe and clean for both staff and students¡±.

Durham is 바카라사이트 latest institution to be threatened with strike action over university redundancies. Staff at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield have also announced that 바카라사이트y plan to take strike action over plans to slash staffing costs by ?23 million over 바카라사이트 next two years.

Sheffield Hallam University, Brunel University of London, Newcastle University, 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia and 바카라사이트 University of Dundee have already seen strike action take place. The UCU estimates that more than 5,000 job have been lost so far this academic year, with a fur바카라사이트r 5,000 anticipated to come.

A Durham University spokesperson said that 바카라사이트 university ¡°cannot remain a world-class centre of research and education without a firmly established and sustainable financial base¡±.

¡°We remain committed to doing all we can to achieve savings by voluntary means and to continue working with our recognised trade unions and with our staff in an open, transparent, and timely way.

¡°We have been notified by Durham UCU of 바카라사이트ir ballot outcome. We would always seek to minimise 바카라사이트 impact of any industrial action on our students and ensure 바카라사이트y feel supported,¡± 바카라사이트y said.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com