University of Leicester staff announce strike action over job cut plans

Staff will strike every weekday from Monday 29 September until Friday 17 October in their dispute over redundancies, disrupting the first few weeks of teaching in the new academic year.  

The action comes after an overwhelming 80% of staff backed strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 62%.  

University managers have told staff in six academic areas (Geography, Geology and the Environment; the School of Education; Chemistry; Modern Languages; History; and Film Studies) that their jobs are at risk as they seek to cut the staffing budget by £11 million.   

Hundreds of professional services staff, who support teaching and research, have also been told they face a review that may lead to job losses.   

UCU says these plans pose a serious threat to both the university's academic mission and the quality of provision for students.    

The union said the plans, justified by managers through spurious arguments about directing investment into a narrow range of so-called "growth" areas with high student numbers, will not just cause misery for staff but will impact students learning, and damage Leicester's reputation as an institution with a broad range of academic disciplines, supporting world class teaching and research.   

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Leicester is trying to slash vital academic jobs as part of an unnecessary plan to save cash. These cuts are not driven by necessity, but the result of poor management choices and a refusal to look at alternatives.   

'Our members are absolutely right to fight back. It is outrageous that hardworking staff are being made to pay the price. We call on the university to halt these cuts, rule out compulsory redundancies, and work with us to find a constructive path forward, or face disruption on campus at the start of the new term.'  

UCU branch chair Joseph Choonara said: 'Far from staffing costs being too high, the university's own data shows that spending on staff has fallen as a percentage of income in recent years. Rather than prioritise investment in staff, the beating heart of the university, management has spent an average of over £40m a year on capital expenditure and splashes out £1.5m a year on external consultants. We do not threaten strike action lightly but unless the university is prepared to consider other solutions, we have no choice but to strike.'