Strike ballot at Salford University in redundancies row
23 May 2012
Members of UCU at the University of Salford will be balloted from today on whether or not they are prepared to take industrial action in an increasingly bitter row over compulsory redundancies.
Around 180 UCU members are in 'redundancy pools' and a third (60) of them will lose their jobs under management's plans. The University of Salford has announced seven lots of redundancies in the past year and earlier this month over 200 members of staff marched across campus to noisily protest outside the vice-chancellor's office.
The result of the ballot will be announced on Friday 8 June when around 500 UCU members from across the UK will arrive in Manchester for the union's annual congress. UCU members at Salford are being asked if they are prepared to take strike action and action short of a strike (including things like working to contract).
The union reiterated today that it does not want to take industrial action, but said members felt like they had little choice.
UCU regional official, Roger Grigg, said: 'The last thing anyone wants is industrial action. However, seven rounds of redundancies in the last year and dozens of jobs at risk have left us with little choice but to ballot our members.
'With over 180 members in redundancy pools and over a third set to lose their jobs, there is understandably a lot of worry and stress at the moment. Members will be balloted on strike action and action short of strike as part of a campaign of growing resistance to the university's proposals.'
The result of the ballot will be announced on Friday 8 June when around 500 UCU members from across the UK will arrive in Manchester for the union's annual congress. UCU members at Salford are being asked if they are prepared to take strike action and action short of a strike (including things like working to contract).
The union reiterated today that it does not want to take industrial action, but said members felt like they had little choice.
UCU regional official, Roger Grigg, said: 'The last thing anyone wants is industrial action. However, seven rounds of redundancies in the last year and dozens of jobs at risk have left us with little choice but to ballot our members.
'With over 180 members in redundancy pools and over a third set to lose their jobs, there is understandably a lot of worry and stress at the moment. Members will be balloted on strike action and action short of strike as part of a campaign of growing resistance to the university's proposals.'
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