UCU declares academic boycott of Brunel University over mass redundancies

Brunel University has already overseen significant numbers of voluntary redundancies and is now pressing ahead with plans to impose further compulsory job cuts. UCU believes that the future of entire academic departments are under threat. The union has condemned the university's refusal to engage meaningfully with staff representatives and warned that these actions could cause irreparable damage to Brunel's reputation.

The union's higher education committee (HEC) has unanimously backed the boycott, also known as 'greylisting', which is the most serious sanction the union can impose.

The boycott will begin on Tuesday 15 April 2025, unless the university withdraws the threat of compulsory redundancies, provides transparent financial information, enters collective conciliation talks through Acas, and reinstates those already involuntarily dismissed.

From 15 April, UCU will ask members, supporters, and the international academic community to observe the boycott by:

• not applying for jobs at Brunel
• not attending or organising academic or other conferences at the university
• not giving talks or lectures at Brunel
• not accepting visiting appointments at Brunel
• not contributing to academic journals edited at or produced by the university
• not taking on roles as external examiners for Brunel's taught courses.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'We do not take this step lightly, but Brunel's continued threat of compulsory redundancies and refusal to engage constructively has left us with no choice. The scale of these cuts is an existential threat to whole departments and to the university's academic standing. The academic community is mobilising, and Brunel must act now to avoid escalating reputational damage.

'There is still time for the university to do the right thing and work with us to avoid unnecessary job losses. We urge the Vice-Chancellor and senior leadership to return to meaningful negotiations'.

Brunel UCU members are currently taking industrial action in protest against the cuts. The boycott is being supported by students, staff, and wider community members, both in the UK and internationally.