University of Central Lancashire strike called off after union talks

Planned industrial action by university teaching staff over redundancies has been suspended after an institution agreed to put planned job cuts on hold.

In a joint statement, the University of Central Lancashire (Uclan) and the University and College Union (UCU) said Thursday's strike had been called off.

It said only four posts remained at risk and both sides were committed to reducing that number "still further".

It added both Uclan and UCU were committed to "constructive dialogue."

Six posts at the Preston-based university's Faculty of Culture and Creative Industries had been at risk after more than 250 workers took voluntary redundancy.

The statement said that "given the progress" made in minimising the need for compulsory redundancies, both sides had "agreed that the priority is to give ourselves the time to pursue the work on finding individual solutions for those people concerned".

"As a result, UCU has agreed to suspend the planned industrial action and the university has agreed to suspend its formal redundancy selection process," it added.

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