‘Our members are still really angry’: Newcastle Uni strike ends but disruptions may continue

After a total of two weeks of strike action across March, Newcastle University staff are back at work, but this may not mean an end to the dispute.

The protests, led by the University and College Union (UCU), were sparked by a planned £30 million in cuts, including £20 million slashed from wages.

While the strikes officially wrapped up on Friday, union leaders have made it clear they are prepared to continue with the dispute, ChronicleLive reports.

David Bates, secretary of the Newcastle UCU branch, said at a recent union meeting, members voted to continue taking “hard hitting industrial action” if the university does not make them an offer.”

He said: “Our members are still really angry. I don’t sense that we are willing to back down on this.”

The strike, which began on 4th March, saw staff walking out in protest against the university’s plans to cut around 300 jobs. UCU general secretary Jo Grady made an appearance at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle, where she backed the striking staff and criticised the wider funding issues affecting UK universities.

Despite the disruption, negotiations with the university have not moved forward. David Bates 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.”

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According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Newcastle Uni has already met its job cut targets in professional services. However, there is still a £5.7 million gap when it comes to academic job cuts, meaning more staff could still be at risk.

David Bates added: “It is symptomatic of an institution being cut to the bone. The university is going to be paralysed with so many people leaving. I do not know how the university will function without them.”

Newcastle University has defended the cuts, blaming financial struggles on a £35 million drop in income due to fewer international student applications. A 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 per cent 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.”

While the strikes are over for now, UCU members are gearing up for more action unless progress is made in negotiations with the university. For students, this could mean more disruption in the coming months.