Tightening belts: These are the Russell Group unis where staff are striking over job cuts

Across the country, universities are announcing massive job cuts as they scramble to balance the books. As a result, staff are striking, calling on their university administration to protect employees. UCU has called compulsory redundancies “the red line,” which should not be crossed.

Here are all the Russell Group unis where staff are striking in 2025.

Newcastle University

via Instagram @newcastleuniucu

After an overwhelming vote in favour of action, Newcastle University’s plans to cut 300 jobs were met with 14 days of strike action by UCU members in March. Following the Easter break, a further 21 days have been announced as the uni pushes on with slashing its wage bill.

Three faculties face job cuts: The faculty of humanities and social sciences, the faculty of medical sciences and the faculty of science, agriculture and engineering.

David Bates, branch secretary of Newcastle University UCU, said: “Staff at Newcastle are angry and determined. We have each other’s backs: we are sticking together to defend jobs and the future of higher education.”

A Newcastle University spokesperson said: “We understand that colleagues do not take these decisions lightly, but we are extremely disappointed by the announcement of further industrial action. We will be putting in place measures to maintain academic standards and minimise the impact on our students.

“Compulsory redundancies will always be a last resort, and we are committed to working constructively with our unions to explore all possible alternatives. Our priority is to support our colleagues through this challenging period while working towards a more sustainable future for our university.”

Cardiff University

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Another one of the Russell Group unis where staff are striking in 2025, Cardiff University UCU members have voted 83 per cent in favour of strike action after the university announced its plans to cut 400 academic jobs and cuts to administrative staff. These plans would lead to the closure of the schools of nursing, music and modern foreign languages, in addition to department mergers and job cuts in most other schools. From May 6th, there will also be an indefinite marking boycott until demands are met.

The university is aiming to achieve a 12 per cent operating budget surplus. However, UCU argues that its £188 million in reserves should go towards saving jobs.

The strike action will occur on the 1st and 6th of May, June 9th, and from the 23rd to the 27th of June.

A Cardiff University spokesperson said: “This is disappointing as industrial action will inevitably cause disruption for some of our students and is due to take place before the final outcome of the consultation is known.

“We will do everything we can to minimise its impact. The university will remain open and in some areas teaching, research and services will be unaffected.

“We recognise that these are extremely difficult and challenging times. However, it is important to stress that our proposals remain subject to an on going 90 day consultation. They aim to secure the long term future of the university and we’d urge UCU, and our other campus unions, to continue to work with us.

“Compulsory redundancies will always be the last resort and that we want to continue to work in partnership to avoid them. We would also renew our ask for UCU to provide a copy of their financial report which, so far, has not been received.”

Durham University

Five days of strike action were planned after April 28th against mandatory redundancies. This comes after the university could cut 200 jobs in a voluntary severance scheme, following which 72 per cent of UCU members voted for strike action.

Durham UCU Co-president Dr. Sara L. Uckelman said: “Redundancies are a choice, not a necessity. The employer’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies leaves us with no option but to undertake industrial action to protect our colleague’s jobs, colleagues who provide the backbone infrastructure that allows our university to function smoothly, from providing vital research and teaching support, to taking care of the health and well-being of our students, to filling our libraries, to ensuring that our buildings are kept safe and clean for both staff and students.

“There is no university without its staff, and we are not prepared to allow the employer to decimate our institution without a fight.”

In a statement online, the university wrote: “Members of Durham UCU recently voted in favour of industrial action in response to cost saving measures that are required to ensure the university’s financial sustainability.

“The university aims to achieve the necessary financial savings by voluntary measures, and we have been consistently emphatic about this.  However, we are not able to rule out the need for compulsory redundancies to put us in a more sustainable financial position.

“It is likely to be mid-May before we know if we have done enough to achieve the required savings through voluntary severance. This timeline has been shared with our four campus trade unions, including Durham UCU, and our staff.

University of Sheffield

via Sheffield UCU on X

Out of the Russell Group unis where staff are striking in 2025, Sheffield,UCU members announced their plan for industrial action to prevent mandatory redundancies at the university. This consists of Action Short of Strike from Monday 28th April, one day of strike action on Wednesday 30th April, and a nine day walkout from Tuesday 6th May until Friday 16th May.

The university’s restructuring plans include job cuts to the English Language Teaching Centre, which UCU say “jeopardises the quality of language support.” Sheffield’s English Language Teaching Centre is currently number one across Russell Group Universities.

In its update on 16th April, the Sheffield UCU branch has instead urged higher management staff to take pay cuts to meet the budget issues.

University of Lincoln – ballot in process

No strikes have been set for the University of Lincoln, but financial restructuring means  up to 285 jobs could be lost, resulting in University of Lincoln UCU branch members voting in an indicative ballot. The branch voted to declare a dispute with the university on 25th March. Taking to Bluesky, the branch said: “In the second wave of significant staff cuts and course closures, #ucu will be demanding #nocompulsoryredundancies..”

A petition against the job cuts reads: “We call upon the vice chancellor and the leadership of the university to think again and cancel any further cuts at the University of Lincoln.”

A spokesperson for the University of Lincoln said: “Our university has recognised that the UK higher education sector is undergoing significant change. We must face into, and adapt to, the financial implications, including structuring to further enable diversity of income, to ensure we keep delivering for our students, city and region.

“The university employs approximately 2,000 members of staff across academic departments and professional services. We anticipate the majority of staff members leaving the University will do so through the Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme. We are consulting with our Trades Unions and we will aim to mitigate the need for compulsory redundancies.”

University of East Anglia

Around 700 staff from UEA went on strike in March in protest over the proposed job cuts. This is the second round of cuts after 400 jobs were lost in 2023.

In January, the university proposed “a goal for reduction of 163 full time equivalent roles across the university” which it hopes to “be achieved through a voluntary redundancy programme targeted at a minority of selected areas”.

A UEA spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that the UCU has notified the university of its intention to take further strike action during May. We are however continuing to have constructive dialogue with UCU with a view to mitigating any compulsory redundancies, which of course are always the last resort.

“While we regret that industrial action is going ahead, our priority remains ensuring that the student learning experience is protected throughout the period of action.

“We are making every effort to maintain research activity, provide clear communication and support for students, and work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver the necessary savings that will secure the university’s long term future.”

The University of Sheffield was contacted for comment.