Newcastle University  Academics Prepared to Strike Again - video Dailymotion

National World - LocalTV

After 14 days of strike action in March, Newcastle University Academics are poised to strike for a further 21 days since University officials have not changed their stance on redundancies.

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00:00In March, Newcastle University union members participated in 14 days of strike action with

00:06picket lines established across the campus. Despite this, negotiations have not progressed

00:11and the university has not removed the prospect of compulsory redundancies. Although the strikes

00:16are over for now, university and college union members are preparing for more action unless

00:21progress is made in negotiations with the university. Potential future measures include

00:26a boycott of marking students' assessments, which could impact open days, exam boards

00:30and graduation ceremonies. The university is aiming to reduce its budget by £35m, primarily

00:37due to a decline in international student applications. This financial shortfall has

00:41led to plans that may result in up to 300 job losses. UCU members have expressed strong

00:46opposition to these cuts, citing concerns over increased workload, job security and

00:50the potential negative impact on the quality of education. A recent vote indicated that

00:5682% of members support strike action, with 88% in favour of action short of a strike.

01:02The university acknowledges the financial challenges and emphasises the necessity of

01:06reducing staff costs to maintain its status as a leading institution. While over 70% of

01:12the targeted savings have been achieved through a voluntary severance scheme, further reductions

01:17are deemed essential. The university has reopened the voluntary severance scheme for academic

01:22staff in specific areas and is committed to working constructively with unions to navigate

01:27these challenges. This situation highlights broader financial and operational challenges

01:33facing universities across the UK, with institutions like Durham University also announcing significant

01:39job cuts and restructuring efforts.

Newcastle University Academics Prepared to Strike Again

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