Brighton Uni Staff Ready to Strike Over 130 Job Cuts
Brighton University faces revolt as staff pledge strikes to stop 100 academic and 30 professional roles being axed. The Uni insists a £17.9m saving is vital, but workers aren’t convinced.
Staff Slam Spending While Jobs Are Slashed
Staff question why, if cuts are needed, the university splurged over £50m on building projects in the past two years. They’re baffled why new facilities are going up while 130 jobs hang in the balance.
UCU Launches Industrial Action
The University and College Union (UCU) has vowed to fight with everything they’ve got. Dr Mark Abel, UCU Chair and Senior Lecturer, declared:
“This is a threat to the livelihoods of individual members of staff and a threat to the quality of education at our University. At an emergency meeting this morning, our members voted unanimously to start an industrial action ballot. Staff should not be made to pay for the failures of management.”
Financial Mismanagement Under Fire
Questions mount over the university’s financial mess. When Vice-Chancellor Debra Humphris took charge in 2015, she promised an “exciting future.” Instead, 130 jobs are on the chopping block.
Staff point fingers at careless management, including:
- £2.4m lost to internal fraud
- A costly £17m lease buyback from Virgin Active
- Huge £24m spent on recent building projects
Dr Abel insists the union will battle to protect staff and the university from what he calls “this attack from above.”
