Ella Nugent
The four-week University and College Union (UCU) strike at the University of Nottingham is by no means isolated or exceptional in its nature. With classes cancelled ahead of a critical vote on possible further industrial action later this month, the current climate of higher education in the UK is tumultuous and uncertain.
The target of the strike is aimed at the administration and not students.
With up to 12,000 job cuts announced in the UK over the last year, and a further 3,000 threatened – according to UCU data – those employed by the University of Nottingham are not only at risk of losing their current jobs, but also of being forced out of the higher education sector completely.
A member of the University’s teaching staff commented that “We know it is tough when we withdraw our labour – it is absolutely a last resort”, and made it clear that the target of the strike is aimed at the administration and not students.
They continued by stating: “our working conditions are your learning conditions” and vocalised their fear that the plans of Future Nottingham will lead to “course closures, reduced choice, and for students that are here, much less attention and feedback on their work and bigger class sizes.”
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) claim that redundancies and restructuring are the only viable option
The UCU argue their strikes are not only for their members, but that their action is additionally aimed to directly benefit students. It is the students at the University of Nottingham, after all, who are those most affected; with high volumes having lost out on teaching and support over recent weeks. A final year student under the School of Culture, Languages and Area Studies stated, “I am concerned about not receiving enough support, especially being in third year, and having to start my dissertation without having had much guidance.”
Despite upset at the interruption in teaching, there appears to be a feeling of sympathy for the academic staff, with many students expressing understanding and support for strike action. The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) claim that redundancies and restructuring are the only viable option in the face of the financial crisis that academia is currently facing.
The government’s freeze on tuition fees (2017-2024), and the increasing cost of living has led to a de facto devaluation in the worth of students’ tuition. The said crisis is a combined consequence of this decline “in the real-terms value of tuition” and in the intake of international students, who are a powerful source of funding.
The UCU claim Castle Meadow to be a “vanity project” at the cost of its workers.
However, the Office for Students (OfS) also place weight on the mounting pressure for universities to act as private businesses, in which “growth-at-any-cost becomes a survival strategy” and the altruistic mission of educating for education’s sake has become a secondary motivation.
The current strikes are in protest of: redundancies, both compulsory and MARS (Mutually Agreed Redundancy Scheme) based; protected conversations; demands for a 20 per cent reduction in departmental activities; phasing out of courses, such as American and Canadian Studies; and staff health concerns created by undue stress.
Regarding the University of Nottingham itself, there have been further accusations of mismanagement by the administration – specifically its purchase of the Castle Meadow Campus in 2021. Initially purchased for over £36 million, with over £45 million had been invested since, there are questions surrounding the necessity of the city centre campus, which is currently being used as serviced office spaces for Nottingham’s business community. The UCU claim Castle Meadow to be a “vanity project” at the cost of its workers, “who will pay for these management excesses.”
The university is now moving towards the second phase of its Future Nottingham “restricting” plan
The University of Nottingham spokesperson said that while they strive for “good financial management, this does not mean that we will stop developing and investing in our plans for the future”, as exemplified in the project.
It is not only UCU that are undertaking industrial action. 78 per cent of Unison claim support of the strike action against Future Nottingham plans, with their East Midlands head of Higher Education Elliot Dean, stating “these workers feel they’re made to pay the price of poor decision-making by university bosses.”
The university is now moving towards the second phase of its Future Nottingham “restricting” plan, which will replace the five faculties and 28 schools with three “colleges” and 10 schools. 91 per cent of the UCU Nottingham branch have rejected the Vice Chancellors plan.
While the university has officially stated their respect of employees’ rights to take industrial action, academics have been warned that informing their students of their strike action and reasoning behind such a decision, is a breach of GDPR law and could result in disciplinary action – a warning never before issued by the UoN administration.
Where this leaves students at the University of Nottingham is unclear
From the 20th to the 28th October, over 138 institutions will vote in the UCU ballot for further strike action. Their demands being: national countering of redundancies, protection of terms and conditions, a fair wage offer, and a new funding settlement from the UK government for higher education.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady has called for universities Vice Chancellors to return to the negotiating table and consider the counterproposals and alternative financial strategies of its workers’ unions.
Where this leaves students at the University of Nottingham is unclear; not only heading into the new year with the threat of further industrial action looming, but also into the more distant future with the fate of university education – its range, quality, teaching and specialization – looking rather cloudy.
Impact Nottingham reached out to a University of Nottingham spokesperson regarding recent events and received the following statement:
“We are disappointed that UCU has decided to move ahead with further strike action, which is disrupting learning for a small number of our students.
The plan that UCU has proposed is not viable and would jeopardise our long-term financial sustainability.
Our number one priority is minimising disruption to our students and the vast majority of teaching and learning continues as normal at this time. We continue to discuss alternative proposals and regularly engage with Trade Unions as part of our joint recognition agreement.”
Ella Nugent
Image courtesy of Chris Tregenza and used with the approval of University of Nottingham’s UCU branch.
