Lancaster University (UCU) Strike Calendar
Strike Type: Education
Latest Updates (3)
Strikes planned for Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November, along with ongoing industrial action short of a strike, have been cancelled after a reversal in management's position.
University management had intended to make over 450 staff redundant this academic year based on financial forecasts.
The union argued the employer's assumptions were overly pessimistic and that savings were being sought through job cuts instead of examining other spending areas.
The reversal in approach is considered a major success, as management had previously insisted job losses were necessary to save £35m and could not rule out mandatory redundancies.
The prospect of strike action proved effective in compelling the employer to resume negotiations.
Although the disagreement remains unresolved, a firm assurance against compulsory redundancies for academic staff until July 2026 allows the union to explore alternative suggestions with the employer.
A significant majority of union members supported strike action, which is scheduled for November 27th and 28th, with picketing planned at two main university entrances on both days.
Union members are currently engaged in a work-to-rule, declining to cover for absent colleagues or perform tasks beyond their defined roles.
The management aims to eliminate more than 400 staff positions by the close of the current academic year, affecting several hundred academic personnel.
The organization representing the staff contends that the employer is basing its decisions on excessively negative predictions and is choosing to cut jobs instead of examining other expenditures, such as a new campus development abroad.
The union demands that the employer guarantee no forced job losses and participate in focused discussions to re-evaluate the proposed cuts and the underlying financial data.
The UCU members will be working to rule, refusing to cover absent colleagues, and refusing to undertake any work outside of their job description. The action could continue for up to six months and UCU is also considering going out on strike before Christmas unless management rules out compulsory redundancies. Management is attempting to axe over 400 staff by the end of this academic year (Friday 31 July 2026) including over 200 academics. In total around one in four staff are up for the chop. Despite this, the university is pushing ahead with plans to open a campus in India and refuses to set out how many millions of pounds this will cost.
1 Strike Date 0 Planned