University of Lincoln staff vote for strike action over planned job cuts

Staff at the University of Lincoln have voted  in favour of industrial action in response to proposed redundancies.

Eighty six per cent of University and College Union (UCU) members who participated in the ballot backed strike action, with a turnout of 61 per cent. This represents roughly 12 per cent of the university’s workforce.  

The UCU said it believes 285 jobs could be lost, although a university spokesperson previously described this figure as a “worst-case scenario”.

UCU has criticised the university’s handling of financial challenges, arguing that poor spending decisions and a lack of consultation with academic staff have worsened the situation. 

Last month UCU members at Lincoln passed a vote of no confidence in the university’s senior leadership team, with 95% expressing a lack of faith in management.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Far from safeguarding jobs, Vice Chancellor Neal Juster has announced plans to threaten nearly 300 staff with redundancy ahead of further ‘restructuring’ in the next academic year, and possibly beyond. Yearly cuts have damaged staff morale, and management must look at this vote for strike action and begin listening to our concerns. If the vice-chancellor continues to refuse to change direction and rule out compulsory redundancies, then we will be forced to strike.’ 

A spokesperson for the University of Lincoln said its priority is always to put students first and that it has plans in place to minimise any disruption to teaching or the student experience if industrial action goes ahead.