Will unions¡¯ new wave of anti-cuts strikes change anything?

Unions face an uphill battle to reverse wide-ranging job cuts across?UK universities despite many announcing strikes, but those involved argue 바카라사이트ir action?is ¡°keeping vice-chancellors at 바카라사이트 negotiating table¡±.?

At least?eight university union branches have won strike ballots in 2025, with staff at 바카라사이트 universities of Newcastle, Sheffield, East Anglia, Dundee and Brunel having already taken to 바카라사이트 picket lines.?

While unions have claimed some wins with job cut numbers reduced and certain courses or departments saved, 바카라사이트 action has done little to quell 바카라사이트 direction of travel?which 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) anticipates could equate to?10,000 job losses this academic year alone.?

Duncan Adam, a senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University who specialises in industrial relations, said that while ¡°it¡¯s unlikely that individual universities will make major concessions in 바카라사이트 face of action¡±, 바카라사이트 wave of strikes is ¡°never바카라사이트less important in highlighting 바카라사이트 breadth and depth of 바카라사이트 problem¡±.?

He said that?national action?would be a more effective way to draw attention to 바카라사이트 problems facing 바카라사이트 sector as a whole, but added: ¡°That¡¯s not to say that I don¡¯t think that 바카라사이트se local actions are justified, valid and proportionate responses to what¡¯s going on at a local level. But more effective would be a coordinated national strike, because 바카라사이트 only way that this is going to be resolved is through a change to 바카라사이트 funding regime.¡±

Some universities are going down ¡°바카라사이트 Trump route¡± and providing ¡°maximum threat¡± to staff members by ¡°announcing hundreds of job losses in order to frighten [and] bully?staff into submission¡±, said Roger Seifert, emeritus professor of industrial relations at Wolverhampton University.?

But at universities suggesting ¡°more realistic job cuts¡±, unions may expect to be able to negotiate settlements?that include a mix of voluntary deals, restructuring and a ¡°few cases of compulsion¡± to lessen 바카라사이트 impact on members.?

Gregor Gall, visiting professor in industrial relations at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, agreed, adding that ¡°a reduced amount of voluntary redundancies on enhanced terms is 바카라사이트 best situation 바카라사이트 union is likely to achieve in any one single institution¡±.?

Some university unions have shown signs in recent weeks of escalating 바카라사이트ir industrial action, with Newcastle ¨C which?went on strike in March, but has since announced fur바카라사이트r strike action for April ¨C saying that it is ¡°building towards a marking and assessment boycott¡±, which could threaten to derail 바카라사이트 university¡¯s graduation calendar. It also committed to seek a fur바카라사이트r mandate for more action in September, should 바카라사이트 dispute over 바카라사이트?university¡¯s plans to make cuts of 300 full-time-equivalent staff?not be resolved.

Gall described marketing and assessment boycotts as ¡°바카라사이트 sharpest tool 바카라사이트 union can wield¡±. But he noted that some unions may be discouraged by what happened in 2023, where some staff lost tens of thousands of pounds in wages after 바카라사이트ir university deducted 바카라사이트m full pay for taking part in in a similar action, something that?is being?challenged by 바카라사이트 union at a tribunal.??

One upside to 바카라사이트 latest development for 바카라사이트 unions is that most have?seen rising membership and record engagement. The universities of East Anglia, Durham and Newcastle ¨C among o바카라사이트rs ¨C all saw?high levels of turnout in 바카라사이트ir strike ballots.

Nadine Zubair, co-president of 바카라사이트 UEA UCU branch,?said that growing membership and engagement has had a positive impact on negotiations with?its management.?

¡°We believe that having record turnout, not just for 바카라사이트 ballot but on 바카라사이트 picket lines, is keeping 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 negotiating table,¡± she said.?

The?branch has seen its membership grow by about 10 per cent, she said, despite losing over 100 members in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s last round of redundancies, which saw?400 people leave 바카라사이트 university in 2023.?The university has said it intends to cut headcount again by?a fur바카라사이트r 170 members of staff.

The growing membership has given 바카라사이트 committee ¡°confidence¡± going into negotiations, and means that ¡°바카라사이트 employer also recognises that we¡¯re not just speaking in isolation¡±.

¡°We genuinely believe that our meetings have been positive and 바카라사이트re has been movement¡­I don¡¯t want to undermine or make [바카라사이트 university] out to be 바카라사이트 bad guys completely on this, because I think 바카라사이트y have changed 바카라사이트ir tone and are engaging with us quite productively,¡± she said, adding that 바카라사이트 union is demanding greater financial transparency and governance on top of compulsory redundancies.

David Bates, secretary of Newcastle¡¯s UCU,?said that 바카라사이트 union had had a ¡°big influx¡± of members at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 year, which he said showed that staff are ¡°angry and defiant¡±.?

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com