‘Cardiff’s vice-chancellor […] needs to cut her own £290k salary before she attacks the hard-working staff who keep the university going’
Cardiff University has announced plans to cut 400 academic staff jobs—7% of its total workforce—and close degree programmes due to a funding shortfall.
Degree programmes in ancient history, modern languages and translation, music, nursing, and religion and theology could be closed.
In a statement, UCU general secretary, Jo Grady, said: “The unprecedented level of cuts we are seeing across the sector threaten not only the reputation of individual institutions, but UK higher education’s standing on the world stage.
“You simply cannot slash thousands of jobs and expect to offer anything close to the expected standards of research and teaching.”
Grady added: “Cardiff’s vice-chancellor has claimed brutal cuts are necessary, she needs to cut her own £290k salary before she attacks the hard-working staff who keep the university going.”
She added that UCU members would not stand by and let university managers “commit academic vandalism on such a grand scale”. Grady made it clear that if universities refuse to work with them to maintain provision, UCU is prepared to ballot for strike action.
“Unfortunately, serious industrial unrest cannot be ruled out,” Grady warned.
Speaking on BBC Wales radio, UCU Cymru chair, Estelle Hart, said there had been a “lack of communication” by university bosses which was causing “anxiety” to staff.
UCU Wales Official, Gareth Lloyd, said: “UCU members are neither able nor willing to carry the cost of inaction. If Welsh Government wants to avoid a cycle of redundancies and damaging strikes, then it will need to use 2025/26 budget to stabilise the sector.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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