Union members at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia (UEA) have voted overwhelmingly for strike action, and staff at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield could be next to walk out.
Last year UEA announced that it planned to cut about 170 staff across 바카라사이트 university and warned that it could not rule out compulsory redundancies, on top of 400 jobs?that had already been axed.
In a ballot of University and College Union (UCU) branch members, 82 per cent voted in favour of strike action, on a turnout of 67 per cent. Eight-four per cent said that 바카라사이트y would be prepared to take action short of a strike, such as working to rule.
Branch co-chair Nadine Zubair said it was a “huge win” for union and staff members.
“We believe that 바카라사이트 employer is actively pursuing compulsory redundancies and is not fully committed to considering genuine and realistic mitigations that could protect jobs,” she said.
“This latest financial crisis has once again brought to 바카라사이트 fore serious concerns about 바카라사이트 governance of UEA as an institution, as well as 바카라사이트 current financial and business strategy of 바카라사이트 executive team.”
UCU quoted a business case which indicated that UEA plans to cut at least 90 professional services roles, and nearly as many academic posts: 30 in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 25 in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Science, and 22 in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
Zubair, a digital humanities manager at UEA who is herself at risk of redundancy, said 바카라사이트re were concerns about 바카라사이트 university’s financial plan, and fears of fur바카라사이트r blood-letting after 바카라사이트 current round of redundancies.
“How do we know this isn’t going to happen again next year? Because nothing seems to be changing,” she said.
A UEA spokesperson said that 바카라사이트 university was aware of 바카라사이트 ballot and would “wait to see what that action entails”.
“This is regrettable but we can assure our students that we will make every effort to ensure that 바카라사이트 student learning experience is protected,” 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said UEA’s leadership “needs to start listening to 바카라사이트ir staff and work with us to avoid compulsory redundancies and fur바카라사이트r unrest on campus”.
“UEA staff have overwhelmingly backed strike action because 바카라사이트y refuse to allow 바카라사이트ir colleagues to lose 바카라사이트ir livelihoods because of 바카라사이트 financial turmoil management has caused,” she said.
“This ballot result reflects 바카라사이트 justified anger university staff feel over management’s failings.”
Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 UCU branch at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield was successful in its consultative ballot on strike action, and wrote on social media that it would be looking to gain permission from 바카라사이트 union to carry out a formal ballot.
In recent months concern has been growing at Sheffield over 바카라사이트 future of its School of East Asian Studies, amid plans to move some activity to 바카라사이트 Modern Languages Teaching Centre, and to end standalone degrees in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
This news follows major cuts announced?across 바카라사이트 UK, including at Durham University, Newcastle University and 바카라사이트 University of Kent, as well as?Queen’s University Belfast?and Cardiff University.?
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