Covid: Northumbria University staff vote to strike over health fears

No strike dates have yet been announced

Staff at a North East university have voted in favour of strike action over health worries caused by Covid-19.

Northumbria University in Newcastle saw hundreds of students test positive last month, although the number of infections dropped to 33 this week.

The ballot was issued after the University and Colleges Union (UCU) said university management "refused" to address in-person teaching concerns.

The university said talks with the union were ongoing.

The UCU described the vote as a "massive step forward" as it worked to keep campuses "safe".

It revealed 66% of members who voted approved taking strike action with 89.9% also agreeing to take action short of a strike.

"We regret that it took a ballot for industrial action for Northumbria to take this matter seriously," general secretary Jo Grady said.

"If the employer had listened to our concerns from the start then we could have avoided this escalation."

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Earlier this week Northumbria announced it would offer a "limited amount of teaching on campus until 4 December" with students then completing two weeks' work online before Christmas.

The union has welcomed that move, describing it as a "safety-first approach".

Responding to the strike vote, a university spokesman said: "We are doing all we can to protect colleagues who feel unable to teach on campus at this present time.

"This will usually be where colleagues have an underlying physical health condition or mental health concerns or share living space with someone who is vulnerable.

"In these circumstances we have made it clear that colleagues will not be compelled to deliver face-to-face teaching on campus.

"Discussions between the university and UCU have continued during the ballot period and at this stage it is not clear whether any action will be taken so it is not possible to comment in detail."