UEA staff to strike over job cuts

The strike comes after an overwhelming 82% of UEA UCU members who voted backed strike action in an industrial ballot with a turnout of 67%. Staff will also be taking action short of strike from Wednesday 26 March, which will include working to rule.

The dispute is over management's threat to cut over 190 staff to meet continued budget shortfalls at the institution. 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 at the institution.

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

UEA UCU co-chair Nadine Zubair said: 'UCU has served notice of a day of strike action and continuous action short of strike in our dispute over compulsory redundancies, financial and business strategy and university governance. We will use our strike day to celebrate staff, to remind the employer that we are the university, that we matter, and that we have a clear and unified voice. There is a real power in coming together and acting as a collective in these moments of crisis, and we need to act together to support all our colleagues who are 'at risk' of redundancy.'

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'We hope UEA management begins listening to UCU and starts working with its staff body to protect jobs and student provision. Our members have the full backing of their national union in continuing industrial action until management starts meaningful negotiations.'