Here we go again, here’s every UK university that might strike in 2025

Pretty much every university in the UK is having some kind of financial disaster in 2025, and loads of unis are planning to strike. Here’s a helpful rundown of every UK university where staff could strike in 2025.

Birmingham City University

According to Times Higher Education, union members have entered formal disputes with the university and have threatened to strike. Staff fear the management team’s “transformation plan” could result in job losses, more work for the people who remain, and less research.

Brunel University London

On 12th February, the union members at Brunel voted in favour of industrial action. Staff plan to strike on 15 days between 28th February and 11th April.

The university has proposed cutting lecturers’ jobs in the life sciences, economics and finance, law and business departments. Technical and professional staff could also lose their jobs.

Cardiff University

Cardiff University has a massive operating deficit of £31.2 million from the 2023/2024 academic year. The uni aims to cut 400 jobs. It has proposed cuttingcourses in nursing, modern languages, ancient history, religion, theology, music and translation.

On 12th February, students and staff protested against the proposed cuts.

The protest
(Credit: Immy Clark)

The UCU is currently voting on whether to strike.

University of Dundee

More than 450 union members at this uni have already started striking. The industrial action will last three weeks.

Durham University

So, the uni is planning £20 million of job cuts. Durham will cut about 200 professional service jobs by the end of summer, and more jobs next year. Over 1,000 union members are voting right now over whether they will strike.

University of East Anglia

Most Read

Erm, so Lauren’s ex made his own Love Is Blind headshot and it’s all really bizarre

Molly from Love Is Blind had a past career as an NBA dancer, and the pics are insane

Brian Laundrie’s sister speaks out after Gabby Petito doc and angrily defends her brother

More than 400 staff left UEA in 2023. Now the uni plans to cut the jobs of 77 academic staff and 113 other staff.

Newcastle University

Newcastle looking vibey

On 14th February, the Newcastle branch of the UCU announced they were going to strike. Staff claim the uni cancelled promotions they’d promised.

The uni started a voluntary severance scheme in January. Staff are complaining about jobs being cut while Newcastle University is considering expanding to India.

Industrial action is planned for the 4th, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th, 18th, 20th, 25th, 25th, 27th and 27 of March.

University of Sheffield

A ballot opened on 24th February, so staff can now vote if they should strike in 2025. Sheffield Uni is aiming to make £23m in staff cuts over the next two years. Staff reckon this could amount to 400 job losses.

A spokesperson for the university told The Sheffield Tab: “Like many UK universities, a decrease in international students has affected our income. We have been keeping colleagues and our campus trade unions informed and updated about the financial position and the range of targeted actions we are taking.

“These include reviewing infrastructure projects and reducing spending, alongside carefully managing staff vacancies and offering a voluntary severance scheme to staff to help avoid the need for compulsory redundancies.”

University of Strathclyde

📢 @unitetheunion's members at the @UniStrathclyde have emphatically backed strike action.

The university’s shameful cash grab from our hard-working members’ #pension pots will be vigorously resisted.https://t.co/Gb15jkZh9k

— Sharon Graham (@UniteSharon) February 14, 2025

Staff at this uni in Glasgow announced this week that they’ll be striking over a two week period between 10th March and 23rd March.

As well as lecturers, cleaning staff, security guards and maintenance workers will be protesting.

Staff are upset because of changes to the uni’s pension scheme. The union claims staff will be thousands of pounds worse off.

For more news about UK universities, like The Tab on Facebook. 

Featured image of Durham by Jungpionier via Creative Commons. Featured image of Cardiff University by Armonjones via Creative Commons.