Sheffield staff begin 14 days of strike action over job-cut plans
The university plans to cut at least £5m by reducing staff numbers and has indicated it may pursue further savings by shrinking departments
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Staff at the University of Sheffield have begun 14 days of strike action as part of a dispute over proposed job cuts, the University and College Union (UCU) has said.
The union has set out strike dates covering November and December. Action will take place on 17, 18, 19 and 21 November; from 24 to 27 November; on 1, 2, 4 and 5 December; and from 9 to 12 December. Pickets are planned each morning, with the main line at Firth Court on the Western Bank campus, where the vice-chancellor’s office is based.
A rally took place yesterday, jointly with the Sheffield Hallam branch, at Barkers Pool in the city centre.
UCU said the dispute centres on management plans that put staff at risk of redundancy, alongside continued concerns over cuts to professional services roles. Up to 20 staff are currently at risk of compulsory redundancy, with seven facing the prospect of losing their jobs in December.
Further restructures are scheduled for early 2026 in the schools of East Asian studies, chemistry and materials sciences. These are expected to involve threats of compulsory redundancy. Reviews are also anticipated in the schools of English; history, philosophy and digital humanities; medicine and population health; and sociological studies, politics and international relations, which could lead to additional job losses.
The university plans to cut at least £5m by reducing staff numbers and has indicated it may pursue further savings by shrinking departments. The union says remaining staff would face higher workload pressures and deteriorating conditions.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Staff are downing tools from today because they refuse to accept threats to our members’ jobs. They will not accept the degradation of staff working conditions through ever-increasing workload pressures.
“Striking is always a last resort, but the action planned over the next two months shows staff have had enough and are prepared to fight back. If the employer does not reverse its decision to cut jobs, it should expect disruption on campus throughout this term.”
