Northumbria is - justifiably - an award-winning university, staffed by amazing, dedicated people, who work hard to recruit and retain students, and bring in research funding.  Reflecting this, until now management have said the institution is 'financially robust' - they even put that in a recent job advert for a new Deputy Vice Chancellor.  So if these shocking revelations are true - and not just 'project fear' - that suggests there is incompetence and a democratic deficit at the top, vindicating Northumbria UCU's decision to pass a vote of no confidence in the university executive several weeks ago.  Any cuts should start with them, and the Board of Governors now needs to step up, step in, and do their job.

 

Everyone knows higher education in the UK faces big challenges.  Redundancies, freezing staff pay, or cutting pensions might seem like the answer but will make matters worse, sending the university into a downward spiral with massive reputational damage, and with negative impacts for students and the region staff are proud to serve.

 

UCU have offered counter-proposals to bring current strike action to an end and help address the situation about pay and pensions better and faster than management's plans, which deprive staff of dignity at work and after.  Our door is always open to fix problems together.

 

Our members know £25 million is exactly the same amount Northumbria University put into building a space centre with the arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin.  Students now don't want shiny new buildings that only benefit a few people at some future date - they need motivated, dedicated staff, with secure jobs, fair pay and pensions, and decent conditions. Everyone deserves the opportunities Northumbria can offer, whether that's working-class students in the region and beyond, or those devoted to teaching them.