Newcastle Uni staff to strike over pay and job cuts

This afternoon, the University and College Union announced that its members at Newcastle University will take strike action on 14 days before the the end of term on March 28. This follows rising tensions between the union and management over £30m in cuts, previous pay and prmoortion freezes, and a 5% to the instituions wage bill, equivalent to 300 jobs.

In addition, despite a voluntary severance scheme already in operation, the University's managemernt has refused to rule out compulsory job losses.

Newcastle University, alongside other Higher Education establishements, is tackling a £35m financail shortfall reported last year after a decline in applications from international students. The UCU has stated it has informed University bossess over members' decision to take industrail action.

Strikes will take place on:

• March 4, 6

• March 10, 11, 12

• March 17, 18, 19, 20

• March 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

The UCU has also stated that contionuiious action short of strike will being on March 4.

Chair of Newcastle University UCU branch, Matt Perry, said: “Staff and students have lost confidence in the VC.

"Those responsible at the top are making staff pay for their failures. Gambling on the international student market and expansion through new buildings is going to cost our jobs unless we do something about it.

"Massive job cuts at Sunderland, Durham and Newcastle Universities are a recipe for recession in the North East and we need more young people in our universities not less.”

The union has also repeatedly called on the government to radically overhaul the funding model for Universities and Higher Education, going so far as to call for the abolition of tution fees in place of secured funding.

Seperate to the UCU, the trade union UNISON, representing non-acadmic staff, has also spoken out against the University's cost-cutting measures. UNISON has not announced strike action.

A spokesperson for Newcastle University said: “We are extremely disappointed by the announcement of industrial action and will be putting in place measures to maintain academic standards and the integrity of our teaching.

“Like universities across the UK, we are working to address the financial pressures which is why our senior management have been exploring opportunities overseas including a possible campus in India.

“We want to work constructively with our unions to build a more sustainable future for universities while supporting our colleagues throughout this challenging time."

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