Weeks of strike action at Newcastle University have come to an end but union officials says the dispute could continue. Official strike action by academics and members of the University and College Union (UCU) drew to a close on Friday. It heralds the end of 14 days of non-continuous walkouts by academic staff who are protesting against £30mn in cuts, including £20mn from the institution’s wage bill.
The start of the strike, Tuesday 4 March, saw UCU general secretary Jo Grady support picket lines and deliver a speech at Grey’s Monument, lambasting not only the potential loss of 300 jobs at Newcastle University but higher education funding more generally. However, according to a Newcastle UCU rep, there has been no advance in talks with the institution, but members are willing to carry on some form of dispute.
David Bates, Newcastle UCU branch secretary said:
“We have had 14 days of strike action obviously and we feel it has gone really well. We have had good numbers out on the picket line. There is a real groundswell of opinion among staff that what the University is doing is the wrong thing.
“There has not been a breakthrough in negotiations and we are profoundly disappointed that the university is not taking redundancies off the table. On Monday we had a branch meeting and we passed a motion to continue hard hitting industrial action if they do not make us an offer. That is up for discussion.
“Our members are still really angry. I don’t sense from our members that we are willing to back down on this.”
“Cut to the bone”
According to internal communications seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), whilst the university has achieved its job severance targets within its professional services teams, there remains a £5.7mn gap in its targets for academics. This is despite the previous combined efforts of a voluntary scheme in October 2024 and the latest extended round.
On this, Bates continued:
“It is symptomatic of an institution being cut to the bone. We have got a situation where they have achieved their target for professional services. The university is going to be paralysed with so many people leaving. The colleagues do really important work. I do not know how the university will function without them.”
A Newcastle University spokesperson said:
“Like many universities across the UK, we are seeking to reduce our staff costs to safeguard our future as a globally leading university. More than 70% of the savings needed have been achieved through a voluntary severance scheme. We are now carefully considering next steps in consultation with our trade unions, including developing proposals for where further savings might be required.
“We are being as transparent as possible and continue to support our staff through this challenging time.”
In September last year, the LDRS revealed Newcastle University was suffering from a £35mn shortfall in income due to a decline in the number of international student applications. The decline has hit many universities across the UK, sparking similar cuts and subsequent industrial action from staff.
Durham University bosses announced in late January this year it planned to make £10mn in staff cuts for the 2025/26 financial year, equating to around 200 jobs. A UCU ballot for strike action is scheduled to conclude on 1 April.
