Northumbria University strike ballot opens Monday over job cuts

Talks between management and UCU to resolve the dispute were due to take place earlier this week but the university cancelled them without explanation. The union has now been told that senior management will not meet for talks. The university has also pulled back from a joint statement that had previously been agreed.

Last month UCU and Unison issued a joint statement demanding management avoid any compulsory redundancies.

UCU regional support official Jon Bryan said: 'We want nothing more than to get back round the table with Northumbria and resolve this dispute, but the university will not meet with us and has refused to rule out compulsory job losses. Given this, we have no choice but to ballot for strike action.'