University of Nottingham staff stage mock funeral over job cuts

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 20:32 · Archive

Staff at the University of Nottingham held a mock funeral to protest planned job cuts affecting thousands of workers.

Staff at the University of Nottingham held a Halloween-themed mock funeral on Tuesday 27 October in protest at the university's Future Nottingham 2 restructuring programme. The University and College Union is striking until 11 December over plans to cut more than 500 jobs and close music and modern languages degrees. More than 2,500 staff remain at risk of redundancy following an earlier stage of cuts that removed more than 350 support staff roles.

Management says the cuts are necessary to prevent the university running out of money. A university spokesperson said there was "support in place to minimise disruption" for students and that it would "continue to meet regularly with trade union colleagues to work towards a resolution".

The UCU has called on the university to rule out compulsory redundancies and engage meaningfully with staff and unions. Prof Andreas Bieler, vice-president of the union's local branch, said the university's management was "leading us down a death spiral" but acknowledged the "financial pressure" the sector faced. He said the union's counter-proposals "indicate clearly" how savings can be made without job cuts and urged management "to come to the negotiation table".

How it is being reported

• 'Funeral march' staged over planned university cutsThe University and College Union (UCU) holds a themed protest at the University of Nottingham.BBC Nottingham · 27 Oct, 20:06
• Mock funeral marks 'death' of University of Nottingham as staff fight drastic job cutsWorkers say that their livelihoods and the university's future are at riskNottinghamshire Live · 27 Oct, 18:07

In this story: University of Nottingham · University and College Union · Nick Clare · Andreas Bieler · Nottinghamshire

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