Cardiff University staff are gearing up to hold a public protest outside the Senedd, with the futures of hundreds of jobs in jeopardy due to proposed cuts. The controversial measures put forward by the university include shutting down the nursing school and other departments, as well as slashing 400 academic positions. In response to these plans, the University and College Union (UCU) has organised a rally set to take place on February 4, where they will be joined by various groups, including the National Union of Students Wales, the National Education Union, Unison, non-unionised Cardiff University staff, and other supporters.
According to the UCU, the rally is strategically timed to coincide with the first Welsh draft budget debate. The union is using this opportunity to call upon the Welsh Government to increase funding for further education and intervene to safeguard the future of universities in Wales. In addition to the protest, UCU members are being balloted on the possibility of strike action as a direct response to the proposed job cuts. A mass walkout as well as a marking boycott are on the cards for the upcoming term. The UCU highlighted that since the initial announcement of the cuts, thousands of Cardiff University staff have been issued redundancy warning letters, leaving many in a state of shock and uncertainty.
Cardiff University Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Larner has defended the need for downsizing as a response to financial pressures facing the institution. However, the UCU argues that alternative solutions should be explored to avoid such drastic measures. The union has raised concerns about the impact of these cuts on academic schools and degree programs, such as nursing, modern languages, music, ancient history, translation, religion, and theology, all of which are facing potential closure following a 90-day consultation period.
In a statement released ahead of the planned rally, the Cardiff University UCU branch condemned the proposed cuts as “cruel and unnecessary.” The branch also expressed their intention to ballot for strike action and other forms of protest in a bid to challenge the compulsory redundancies. Dr. Joey Whitfield, the Cardiff UCU President, and a member of the endangered School of Modern Languages, voiced his dismay over the proposed cuts, describing them as both harsh and avoidable. He also lamented the lack of constructive dialogue from the university’s executive board regarding the issue.
The UCU has called on students to show their support for the cause, emphasizing that the impact of these cuts extends beyond just the staff members. The union is urging the Welsh Government to allocate resources from the 2025-26 budget to stabilise the university sector in Wales amidst financial pressures impacting higher education institutions across the UK. The challenges facing universities include escalating costs, stagnant tuition fees, and a decline in international student enrolments, which have traditionally been a significant revenue source for universities.
The UCU has highlighted the urgency of the situation, with Dyfrig Jones from Bangor University UCU stating that the higher education sector is grappling with its most significant crisis in recent memory. The union is calling for immediate government intervention to prevent universities from financial collapse. The escalating crisis underscores the need for robust financial support from the Welsh Government to safeguard the future of higher education in Wales. As the situation unfolds, stakeholders await further developments as the community rallies together to voice their concerns and advocate for a sustainable future for Cardiff University.