University of Bradford staff to down tools for 10 days over £16m cuts programme

The full strike dates are

• Monday 30 June
• Monday 7, Tuesday 8, Thursday 10 & Friday 11 July
• Monday 21, Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23, Thursday 24 and Friday 25 July

Staff will be on picket lines from 8am every strike day and the branch is planning a rally outside the front of the university on Monday 30 June at 11.30am. The action comes after an overwhelming 67% of UCU members who voted backed downing tools in a ballot with a 57% turnout.

The dispute is over the £16m of cuts management wants to force through. The university has so far failed to set out precisely where all the cuts will fall, but 230 professional service staff and a further 230 or so academics are already at risk. The employer could begin issuing staff their notices next month and unless it changes course compulsory redundancies are likely.

At an all staff meeting earlier this year, the university's chief financial officer said the aim is to reduce staffing to the level it was in 2019. This would equate to around 300 full-time equivalent jobs, but well over 300 staff once part-time roles are included.

The cuts will see chemistry and film & television courses shut down, despite Bradford being UNESCO's first city of film and the UK's city of culture 2025. Management also intends to cut staff in archaeology and forensic science, biomedical sciences, dementia studies, engineering, peace studies and international development, pharmacy, psychology, and public health.

Vice-chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon has been in her present post for five years and has served on the university's executive board for over 15 years. She receives a total pay packet worth over a quarter of a million pounds (£293,000) and has refused to extend the university consultation period or take concrete measures that would mitigate the job losses.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Bradford staff have no choice but to down tools because they refuse to see important courses cut, jobs axed, and staff and students pay the price for management's financial failings.

'The vice-chancellor now needs to extend the consultation period and rule out compulsory redundancies. If she refuses to do so, there will be sustained disruption on campus.'