University staff to strike for three more days

Staff at Newcastle University have already taken 14 days of strike action

Staff at Newcastle University are to go on strike for three more days amid job losses.

A £35m shortfall has led to the university approving a £20m reduction in its salary bill - the equivalent of about 300 jobs.

University and College Union (UCU) members, who will walk out on Monday, Thursday and Friday, have already taken 14 days of industrial action so far this year.

Newcastle University said it was "extremely disappointed" about the latest strikes and would place measures to "maintain academic standards".

Prof Matt Perry, a union representative and university academic, said universities were not "global corporations" but "education charities with a core mission to education and research for the public good".

"Our management need to prevent further disruption to students and further damage to educational provision in our region," he said.

'Last resort'

Newcastle University said like other universities across the UK it was seeking to reduce staff costs.

It said the majority of the savings required had been achieved through a voluntary severance scheme.

"Compulsory redundancies will always be a last resort, and we are committed to working constructively with our unions to explore all possible alternatives," a spokesperson said.

"Our priority is to support our colleagues through this challenging period while working towards a more sustainable future for our university."