Nottingham strike paused as managers make new offer on job cuts

Union members at the University of Nottingham have suspended their two-month strike after receiving an improved offer from management.

The University and College Union branch downed tools on 5 October and were not due to return until 11 December but said on 11 November that members had voted to pause the action.

The dispute focuses on Nottingham’s transformation plan, which is set to see the university shed 560 jobs. Some 2,700 staff have been put at risk.

UCU said that the university’s improved offer contains additional measures to mitigate redundancies, and that the vote to pause action “reflects the progress made in negotiations but does not end the dispute”.

Times Higher Education has asked the university and the UCU branch to share more details of the improved offer.

“UCU members have decided that sufficient progress has been made to justify pausing strike action while further negotiations take place. This is a welcome step forward, but the dispute is not over,” said Jo Grady, the union’s general secretary.

“We will continue to press the university to do everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies. We remain prepared to reinstate industrial action if meaningful progress is not made.”

UCU members at Nottingham had already taken strike action from 30 September to 1 October, having earlier walked out for the entirety of June and July. A marking and assessment boycott has also been held.

But the university, which posted an £85 million deficit in its latest accounts, has warned that it will run out of money by 2031 without significant restructuring.

Last month it reduced the expected number of job cuts to 560, from 608, but confirmed that it will close its music and languages departments.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com