Centre for Academic Language and Development staff at University of Bristol to strike in July and August

An overwhelming 95% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in a ballot that had a turnout of 82%.   

Staff will down tools on the following days (picket info tbc):  

• Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 July  
• Monday 14 July, Wednesday 16 July and Thursday 17 July  
• Monday 21 July to Thursday 24 July  
• Monday 28 July, Wednesday 30 July and Thursday 31 July  
• Tuesday 5 August to Friday 8 August  
• Monday 11 August  
• Wednesday 13 August to Friday 15 August  

Currently, 45 members of Britsol's Centre for Academic Language and Development (CALD) staff are threatened with compulsory redundancy. The plans unfairly target academic staff on the lowest academic grade and rest on projected, not actual, student numbers for the next academic year. 

CALD is crucial for both international and home students at the University of Bristol in developing their academic language, literacy and communication skills.  It runs vital courses and programmes for students at all levels and from a wide variety of backgrounds, whether or not English is their first language.   

UCU believes there is no sound operational or financial rationale for the cuts and that the staff are needed at the university. The union said job cuts will create serious workload issue for remaining staff, particularly in terms of support for international students, and will damage students' overall academic experience.  

A open letter against the cuts to university management has gained close to 900 signatures  

UCU regional official Nick Varney said: 'The overwhelming vote for industrial action shows the strength of feeling of our members who are prepared to take 21 days of strike action in defence of jobs. These job cuts would not only be devastating for the staff involved but will leave the remaining staff over stretched and damage students' academic experience.  

'Taking compulsory redundancies off the table, and focusing on viable alternatives, would end this dispute and we urge vice-chancellor Evelyn Welch and her senior management team to listen to staff and students and reverse their unfair, ill-thought out and financially unjustifiable plans. Unless the employer changes direction, the university will face weeks of disruption on campus.