Сотрудники Университета Ноттингэма объявили забастовки из-за планов сокращения штата и курсов

Warning University of Nottingham being 'dismantled unnecessarily' as strikes planned over cuts The major employer has been urged to rule out compulsory redundancies University of Nottingham staff have warned it is being "dismantled unnecessarily" as strikes are announced over planned job and course cuts. Workers at the Russell Group institution will strike on September 30 and October 1 as the university's governing council meets to finalise its controversial 'Future Nottingham' restructuring plans. The cash-strapped university, which has already slashed the jobs of more than 300 support workers and put two of its campuses up for sale, put hundreds of academics at risk of redundancy earlier this year as it commenced the second stage of its cost-cutting programme. The University and College Union (UCU), which represents academics at the university, has said the two-day strike over the plans will be followed by sustained strike action from October 5 to December 11, alongside action short of a strike. Nick Clare, UCU branch president, said: “We don't want to strike, but staff will not stand by while colleagues lose their jobs and whole areas of teaching and research are dismantled unnecessarily. Council has the power to stop this. "Staff have already voted that they have no confidence in its handling of [Future Nottingham's second stage]. "When council meets on September 30, its members must decide whether they will finally hold senior management to account - or force staff into sustained strike action.” The union is calling on the university to rule out compulsory redundancies and the closure of degree courses and full departments, protect teaching and research, and engage with the alternative saving proposals put forward by staff. Both the UCU and Unison, which also represents staff on campus, have passed votes of no confidence in the university's governing council. The unions argue the council, which has ultimate responsibility for the university's finances and strategy, has failed to hold its senior management to account. In addition to the axing of hundreds of jobs, the University of Nottingham's bosses have been criticised for its more than £80 million spend on the Castle Meadow Campus - a project that was abandoned before it was even finished and is now being sold. The UCU told the Nottingham Post the council had previously rubber-stamped a draft plan for the restructuring despite "overwhelming opposition" from the Senate - the university's principal academic body - whose members had raised concerns about the reasoning behind cost-cutting proposals that could result in compulsory redundancies and the loss of entire subjects. Despite the university previously stating it needed to reduce its workforce further to avoid running out of cash in late 2030, the UCU has also argued that there is now no financial justification for compulsory redundancies. The academics' union said undergraduate recruitment had been strong, that applications for voluntary redundancy had increased substantially, and explained staff had submitted extensive alternative proposals to save money. The university, which disputed the UCU's claim that recent student recruitment had substantially improved its financial situation, has not ruled out compulsory redundancies, according to the union. Union representatives, who said they had called the first strike days to coincide with the pivotal council meeting, added members were "very open" to talks with management to resolve the issue ahead of the new academic year. The University of Nottingham said it was frustated by the timing of the planned industrial action, which would fall at the start of the new academic year. "While we recognise employees' right to take industrial action, we are disappointed by the timing of this, which could impact new and returning students at the start of the academic year," a spokesperson said. "Many of our students will be unaffected by this action, but we understand that this will cause concern and want to reassure them we have clear procedures and support in place to minimise any disruption. "All Future Nottingham counterproposals are in the process of being reviewed and considered to help inform the university's final business case, which will go to the university council for a decision in the autumn. "We are continuing to engage in meaningful discussions with our trade union colleagues as part of this process."