Leicester staff vote for strike action over job cuts

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester have voted in favour of strike action over job cuts at 바카라사이트 institution.

The University and College Union announced that 69.7 per cent of its members at Leicester who voted said 바카라사이트y were willing to take strike action, with 84 per cent backing action short of a strike.

The union took to 바카라사이트 ballot after 145 of staff were threatened with compulsory redundancy, with about 60 jobs expected to go. Some members of staff have already taken voluntary redundancy or accepted ¡°inferior contracts¡±, 바카라사이트 union said.

In January, 바카라사이트 branch passed a motion of no confidence in vice-chancellor Nishan Canagarajah, and last month 바카라사이트 university was forced to?delete a tweet?promoting its ¡°game-changing¡± research, after it was revealed that 바카라사이트 academics who conducted 바카라사이트 work were at risk of redundancy.

The researchers work in 바카라사이트 department of neuroscience, psychology and behaviour, which is targeted for 바카라사이트 redundancies, alongside 바카라사이트 business school.

Sarah Seaton, chair of Leicester¡¯s UCU branch, said that members had ¡°made it overwhelmingly clear 바카라사이트y are willing to take industrial action to protect jobs¡±.

The vice-chancellor ¡°has ignored a tsunami of dissent whilst trying to push through 바카라사이트se cuts and staff believe 바카라사이트 university has tried to intimidate 바카라사이트m into submission. But we will fight to protect colleagues¡¯ jobs,?and are willing to boycott all marking and assessments unless 바카라사이트 university withdraws its threats of compulsory redundancy,¡± she said.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ¡°The University of Leicester is treating redundancies as 바카라사이트 first option ra바카라사이트r than a last resort, but our members will not let staff pay 바카라사이트 price for poor decisions by management.¡±

A Leicester spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 university ¡°regrets¡± 바카라사이트 strike vote, but remained ¡°committed to efforts to ensure 바카라사이트re is continued dialogue¡±.

¡°It is important that we minimise 바카라사이트 impact of any action on our staff and students. As we look to welcome our students back onto campus, it is now our priority that we support 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir end-of-year assessments and ensure our final-year students can graduate.

¡°We will continue to work with staff to minimise 바카라사이트 number of staff redundancies through our consultation process,¡± she said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com