University staff strike over redundancies

About 700 university staff members are on strike to fight against job cuts.

The University and College Union (UCU) said 82% of the University of East Anglia (UEA) UCU members who voted, backed strike action.

The dispute comes after almost one in six staff at the university in Norwich were put at risk of redundancy.

Nadine Zubair, UEA UCU co-chair, said: "We will use our strike day to celebrate staff, to remind the employer that we are the university, that we matter, and that we have a clear and unified voice."

She added: "There is real power in coming together and acting as a collective in these moments of crisis, and we need to act together to support all our colleagues who are 'at risk' of redundancy."

The dispute comes after more than 400 posts were cut at the university in 2023 due to management's projected £40m deficit that year.

In an effort to save £11m, the university has planned to cut 163 full-time equivalent positions.

In December, university staff passed a motion of no confidence in the UEA's executive team over the same plans for redundancies.

University students were warned of strike action last week and Prof Emma-Sutton-Pavli, the university's pro-vice chancellor of student experience and education, acknowledged it was a "very stressful" time for them.

The university said it was "disappointed" in the UCU's decision but assured students it would "make every effort to ensure their learning experience is protected and they are made fully aware of support services available to them".

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.