Brunel University of London management have expressed their intention to move forward with plans for further compulsory redundancies in 2025-26. This comes after a year of decimation in 2024-25, when the institution put more than a third of staff at risk of compulsory redundancy, and over 465 staff members, amounting to around 20% of the workforce, left Brunel as a result of multiple redundancy schemes. The cited reason for the redundancies is financial challenges due…
Open petitions & letters
Hybrid working policy at QMU
We, the undersigned staff at Queen Margaret University, are concerned about the proposed introduction of a new Hybrid Working Policy at QMU from September 2025 that includes the requirement to work on campus at least 50% of the time. This policy is being introduced without adequate consideration of good working practices and the needs of staff. We ask the University to: Retract the requirement to work on campus at least 50% of the time. Pause…
Save Adult Education
Adult education has a powerful and positive role in society. As well as empowering people to take charge of their lives, connecting communities and providing the skilled workers that employers need, adult education contributes to enriching our society, stimulates personal development and employability, which in turn helps reduce inequality and promote economic growth. UCU members in the Adult Education work in local government, mayoral combined authorities, FE colleges and other providers. They are highly skilled,…
Operate Surrey – Halt Outsourcing Plans at University of Surrey
The University of Surrey proposes to employ all new Professional Services staff through its subsidiary company: Operate Surrey: Operate Surrey – Jobs at the University of Surrey. This constitutes outsourcing work to employees of a limited company who will not benefit from the staff rights our unions fight hard for including national level pay bargaining and pensions. New professional services staff will be employed on worse terms and conditions, such as pension / sick pay…
Save the University of Leicester’s Glassblowing Workshop
We, the undersigned, urge the University of Leicester to immediately halt any plans to close its Glassblowing Workshop. This unique facility, is integral to the University’s research and teaching infrastructure. The workshop provides bespoke scientific glassware essential for various departments, including Chemistry, Physics, and Medicine. Its services extend beyond the University. Key reasons to preserve the workshop include: Research Excellence: The workshop produces specialized glassware, such as vacuum systems, electrochemical cells, and reaction vessels, crucial…
Defend jobs and education at Havant and South Downs College
Havant and South Downs College is in financial crisis and management is currently consulting with the trade unions about an organisational restructure which could lead to many teaching staff losing their jobs. Up to one-third of teachers may find themselves without a job next academic year if management proceed with the cuts. In addition to the impact on our students and staff facing redundancy, remaining teaching staff may face increased workloads potentially leading to higher…
Save our staff at University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Language and Development (CALD)
Dear Evelyn Welch (Vice-Chancellor) cc Judith Squires (Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost) Staff at University of Bristol have been told that devastating job cuts are planned at the Centre for Academic Language and Development (CALD). We do not believe that these redundancies are justified, and we are writing to you on behalf of staff and students in CALD. We urgently request that the university works with unions to avoid any redundancies at CALD. We request that:…
Graduate Teaching Assistants’ working conditions at the University of Glasgow
For years, Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) at the University of Glasgow have been overworked and underpaid while enduring deeply precarious working conditions and having our ability to teach at an acceptable level curtailed by management negligence, the university’s failure to implement fair and equal pay for GTA work across the institution, and an exploitative work culture. This year in particular, however, saw a spate of cuts in real terms to GTA pay and conditions across…
Remove Coventry University vice-chancellor from government role
Coventry University is facing an unprecedented jobs and debt crisis under the leadership of vice-chancellor John Latham. The institution is threatening to sack 300 staff and rehire some of them in its network of subsidiary companies on contracts with worse pay, holiday, hours and pensions. John Latham is failing students, staff, and the wider academic community. Despite these massive cuts and staff morale being at rock bottom, John Latham has been appointed as a non-executive…
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University of Sunderland: NO to management ‘gagging order’
The University of Sunderland has issued a ‘gagging order’ to a small number of its staff who are facing redundancy. The university has told them ‘no discussions with students, alumni or colleagues’. UCU has expressed outrage over this situation. We are calling on others to show their support. UCU press release Letter to UCU members…
Stop the redundancies in Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has placed more than 80 staff from its Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU) in the School of Health and Wellbeing at risk of redundancy. We, the undersigned, condemn this decision by the School, the College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences within which it sits, and the University of…
Defend jobs and education at University of Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth is making staff redundant just as it invests hundreds of millions in buildings and offers its vice-chancellor a pay rise. Read on for what is going on and what you can do about it. Here is a summary of the situation at University of Portsmouth: Professor Graham Galbraith has been vice-chancellor…
Stop the attacks on academics: Donelan must go!
The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan recently attacked individual academics on social media, making false and egregious accusations that she has since been forced to retract. She has failed to apologise to those she attacked and instead has sought to hide behind her department rather than taking personal responsibility for…
Stop job cuts at Northumbria University: no compulsory redundancies!
2022’s ‘University of the Year’, Northumbria University, has announced huge budget cuts. In a message to staff, Northumbria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Long stated that having already saved £20million through voluntary severance and other measures, the university was looking to reduce staff costs by a further £12.5 million by 1 August. This will have a massive…
Defend jobs and education at Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University has announced plans to reduce academic staff numbers in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Maths, leaving 48 jobs at risk of compulsory redundancy. Please read and share UCU’s open letter here and sign our petition to save jobs at Oxford Brookes University.