University of Essex strike, rally & call for vice-chancellor to resign

UCU members will be on picket lines tomorrow morning from 8am. Staff, students and community members will also be demonstrating on Saturday 25 April Staff, students and local community members will hold a rally to save Southend campus meeting at 1pm at the top of Pier Hill and marching to Broadway. 

The strike and protest come after more than 400 staff overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the vice-chancellor and university's senior leadership team. 

Over 96% of staff voted in favour of the motion, which was tabled last week by UCU, Unison and Unite. The motion calls for the resignation of vice-chancellor Frances Bowen and an apology from the senior management team, as well as the re-opening of the cuts consultation process, including the threatened closure of Southend campus. 

The dispute is over the wave of cuts management is forcing through. The university originally said it intended to axe 200 academic and 200 professional staff and close Southend campus before the start of the next academic year. It has now confirmed it has made over £10m in savings - more than half of its target - after staff worked together to reduce their hours and many made the tough decision to take voluntary redundancy. UCU is also pressing the university to confirm how many staff remain at risk, as numbers set out vary by more than 700 people. Last month, more than a dozen staff were incorrectly told their jobs were safe before management confirmed they were still at risk. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'University of Essex staff and students are not backing down, and our escalating action is supported by the local community. It is clear the senior leadership team has failed to protect the institution. We now need new leaders and a change of direction so we can begin working with management to resolve this dispute and protect the future of the university and the communities it serves.'