Unite workers on strike over discrimination at UCU union (Photo: X/@GoldsmithsUCU)
Workers at Newcastle University have started a consultative ballot after bosses announced £35 million of spending cuts.
The university claims it needs to make cuts due a fall in the number of international students, who pay much higher tuition fees. But the UCU union says the university should rein in fat cat salaries and reduce spending on projects such as new buildings.
A UCU member at Newcastle told Socialist Worker, “The employer has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies or provide information that we have requested regarding the financial situation or adequate equality impact assessments.
“We are seeking guarantees for members of all contract types to ensure that staff do not pay for the failure of senior university management.
“We are recommending a yes vote in this indicative ballot for industrial action. A successful result and a good turnout would result in authorisation of a postal ballot that is legally required to take industrial action.
“The problem is the funding model and the way it relies on student fees. The way education is funded has to change otherwise we will see this year on year. This can be funded by taxing the super-rich.”
Newcastle UCU branch chair Matt Perry told Socialist Worker, “Too many people’s futures—both students and staff—are being destroyed in the sector wide job cuts. And the union needs concerted protest action to prevent catastrophe.”
Dozens of other universities are announcing cost cutting measures. Such measures are predicted to affect over 100 of Britain’s universities by the end of the year.
Sunderland university has threatened to make 76 workers redundant, including both academics and support staff. Brunel university in west London has talked about redundancies that could affect 130 full time workers.
This is a cut of 14 percent for academic staff and 25 percent for other staff. The University of East Anglia (UEA) has announced it wants to cut 170 full time equivalent posts to try to save £11 million. It has already axed 400 workers by using a voluntary redundancy scheme and freezing recruitment.
University workers say that the cuts are likely to affect subject areas such as the arts, humanities and languages. They will limit working class young people’s opportunities. UEA UCU union co-chair Nick Grant said, “Staff and students are potentially being thrown under a bus because of the historic mismanagement of the institution.”
The Labour government’s recent increase in tuition fees will do very little to address the ongoing catastrophe in higher education. The UCU is also set to end a national consultation over the bosses’ latest pay offer which could see strikes in universities across Britain.
Unite union members who are employed by the UCU union are set to strike for three days from Monday of next week. They are in an ongoing dispute this year over serious problems with the culture and environment in their workplace.
This relates to issues of discrimination against black workers, high workloads and work related stress and the lack of an agreement from the employers about a policy on working from home.
The Unite members are also angry about a breach of the organisation’s recognition agreement with Unite after some members left to join another union and the
UCU recognised it. The UCU is now pushing ahead with a restructure. Unite members say it should be focused on resolving the dispute.
Unite said, “We want to improve our workplace and improve the support for UCU members. That’s why the employer needs to pause their plans and resolve the dispute.”
Workers employed by Lineside Logistics in London are being balloted for strikes. The Unite union workers at Lineside are based in the Ford Dagenham site in east London.
They have rejected a 2.5 percent pay offer. Workers at Lineside are also angry at the state of the toilet facilities and potential union-busting as one active Unite member was dismissed for spurious reasons.
The ballot closes on Wednesday of next week. It comes after over 1,000 workers at Ford Dagenham and the Speke plant, in Liverpool, struck over pay and contract terms last month.
Traffic wardens in Hounslow are set to strike over pay throughout December and January. The Unite union workers, employed by NSL, recently rejected a derisory pay offer.
Strikes were set to take place from Thursday to 27 January.
Unite union workers at Capita Life and Pensions are being balloted for strikes. In Manchester, Plymouth and Glasgow, workers were due a pay rise in April this year.
Capita postponed pay talks and assured workers they would see their pay rise in October, but that never happened. The ballot will close on Tuesday 17 December.
Around 250 workers at luxury store Harrods in west London will begin balloting for strikes on Thursday. Their UVW union said workers “faced stripped benefits, staff shortages and stagnant wages” while the Harrods boss received a
£2.1 million salary.
Workers are demanding an above-inflation pay rise, a £500 Christmas bonus and more staff to cover shortages. Strikes could begin on 19 December.
Tanker drivers employed by North Air at Edinburgh airport could strike. The Unite union members recently rejected a 4.5 percent pay offer from North Air after years of below inflation pay increases.
North Air is the only fuel supply company at Edinburgh airport. Unless North Air produces a better offer, workers have said they have “no option” but to strike.
Health workers set to strike across four Manchester hospitals
Bus workers rejected an offer and came back out
