Stop the cuts!

Durham UCU has called three days of strike action on 13 June, 14 June, and 19 June. Action short of a strike (ASOS) is ongoing.

DUCU took five days of strike action beginning on 28 April 2025 and is engaging in ongoing continuous ASOS from 28 April. We are asking the employer to rule out compulsory redundancies.

The industrial action consists of:

• discontinuous strike action on the following dates: 28, 29, 30 April 2025 and 1, 2 May 2025
• continuous action short of strike (ASOS) commencing 28 April 2025, including: not working more than the nominal hours specified in employment contracts; not undertaking voluntary duties; not providing cover for absent colleagues; not providing cover for non-replaced staff; boycotting University-related activities relating to the Research Excellence Framework

Staff cuts and job losses are a choice. Durham senior management can and should choose otherwise.

If you’re new to industrial action at Durham, check out our Beginners’ Guide to Pickets and Strikes for key info and tips. We’ve also put together a page of industrial action FAQs.

If you’re not a member of staff at Durham but want to show your support, sign our petition to Vice-Chancellor Karen O’Brien asking her to protect education and research at Durham by ruling out compulsory redundancies.

Why the time for action is now

It’s past time for management to negotiate in good faith. The University Executive need to find solutions to their financial difficulties without asking staff and students to pay the price for poor decisions made elsewhere. They can end a strike before it starts by ruling out compulsory redundancies now. 

Durham UCU believe that the savings objective of £20M in staff costs over the next two years is unnecessary. Management have yet to present concrete evidence justifying the drastic measures they are proposing. The data they’ve shared* about why they have chosen to target professional services staff appears to conflict with publicly available data, and they’ve refused to share key information about the university’s financial position. Meaningful consultation demands openness and transparency. Staff deserve better. 

Absent full information Durham UCU cannot propose viable alternatives to management’s cost-cutting plans. Management have rejected summarily any proposals that we have brought. Indeed, by framing their target savings explicitly in terms of staff costs, management have shown their hand. They are not interested in alternatives. They’re set on cutting staff. 

The employer is being uncooperative, refusing to share crucial financial information, and making calloused, unevidenced choices. 

Durham UCU members have demonstrated our willingness to defend our jobs and our colleagues by voting with record turnout to support strike action and action short of a strike. Now is the time to act. 

The employer’s timeline** for the first phase of their proposed restructure has consideration of steps beyond voluntary severance beginning in April, with May set aside for potential consultation on compulsory redundancies, should a proposal be brought, and potential selection processes starting in July. 

As we announced on 28 January, the employer served us with a Section 188 notification of proposed redundancies at Durham University on Tuesday 21 January at 16.31, initiating collective consultation. They also issued Form HR1, informing the government of potential redundancies. Form HR1 must be submitted at least 45 days before any notice of redundancy is issued. The employer met this legal requirement on 6 March. 

Now is the time to stand up for one another and for the integrity of our university. 

Redundancies are a choice. Targeting professional services colleagues is a choice. Stonewalling meaningful consultation is a choice. University management can and should choose otherwise. 

Want to get more involved? Write Sara at president@durhamucu.org.uk for Slack invitation!

*Confidential to Durham University staff

**Internal SharePoint link