Union members at the University of Sussex have backed strike action over the institution’s plans to make hundreds of job cuts.
Sussex announced earlier this year it intends to cut 200 jobs to save £35 million, which unions said will add to the strain at an institution that has already cut 500 staff in the past year through a voluntary redundancy scheme.
In a ballot of University and College Union (UCU) members, 81 per cent have voted in favour of strike action on a turnout of 70 per cent.
The union has put forward proposals to protect jobs, including allowing staff to volunteer to go part-time and bringing down the pay of senior management.
Jo Pawlik, Sussex UCU branch president, said that the strong support for strike action showed staff will “fight to protect our jobs and our student provision”.
