Staff overwhelmingly back strike action at University of East Anglia over brutal cuts

84% of staff also backed action short of strike, which could consist of working to rule. UCU said management now needs to begin meaningful negotiations to prevent compulsory redundancies if it wants to avoid industrial unrest.

The dispute is over management's threat to cut over 190 staff members to meet continued budget shortfalls. According to the business case published in November 2024, management intends to cut at least 30 staff in the faculty of medicine & health sciences, 25 in the faculty of science, 22 in the faculty of arts & humanities, and at least 90 from departments across professional services.

This dispute follows over 400 staff leaving UEA in 2023 due to management's projected £40m deficit in that year.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'UEA staff have overwhelmingly backed strike action because they refuse to allow their colleagues to lose their livelihoods because of the financial turmoil management has caused. This ballot result reflects the justified anger university staff feel over management's failings, and university leadership now needs to start listening to their staff and work with us to avoid compulsory redundancies and further unrest on campus.'