In response to the Vice-Chancellor’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies until at least 31st December 2027, and proposed changes to workload linked to altered staff-student ratios, UCU entered into a trade dispute with the University in December 2025. A series of dispute resolution meetings between UCU and the Vice-Chancellor began in January 2026, but the Vice-Chancellor was unable to make a commitment to avoid compulsory redundancies. A formal ballot of members on whether to take industrial action ran from 2nd March 2026 to 20th April 2026. Members voted overwhelmingly in support of strike action and action short of a strike, giving UCU a mandate to take strike action until April 2027.
On 6th May 2026, Council approved the draft business case for FN2. This was provided to UCU on 7th May where the scale of the proposed cuts was confirmed: the removal of just over 600 FTE posts, if necessary through compulsory redundancy in January 2027. The draft business case also proposed making some temporary course suspensions permanent, leading to the closure of the Departments of American and Canadian Studies, Modern Languages and Music.
Because the proposal included plans to make compulsory redundancies, the University is obliged to enter into statutory consultation with Unions which will run from May to July 2026.
To ensure UCU has the strongest possible negotiating hand during the consultation period, UCU notified the Vice-Chancellor that the branch would begin continuous action short of strike action from 20th May, including a marking and assessment boycott, alongside strike action on 22nd May.
UCU is fully committed to opposing these job loses, course closures and protecting members’ working conditions. To do this it is imperative that members support all industrial action called.
Last Updated on May 15, 2026 by L Scott Blankenship
