LECTURERS voted to strike today in response to a compulsory redundancy threat at Cardiff University.

UCU Cardiff University branch members have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action, with 83 per cent supporting strike and 86 per cent backing action short of a strike up to and including an assessment boycott.

More than 64 per cent of Cardiff UCU members voted in response to the university’s plans to cut departments and make 400 members of staff redundant, refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies.

Cardiff University UCU branch president Dr Joey Whitfield said: “This ballot result shows Cardiff staff are utterly opposed to the cruel and unnecessary cuts management are trying to force through. 

“It’s time for Cardiff University leaders to listen to staff and the huge amount of public, political, cultural and community support we have built before they further damage the university’s tattered reputation.”

The UCU branch said staff will meet this week to decide upon the next steps, including the options of strike action and action short of a strike, which could disrupt student graduations this summer.

Union analysis of Cardiff University’s finances show they could draw on £188 million in available cash to protect jobs and student provision, while the university claims it needs to make the cuts to balance its books.

“They must use the university’s £188m of available cash to fund a more cautious and evidence-based approach to improving our finances without destroying our members’ lives,” Dr Whitfield said.

“Industrial action is always difficult, and always a last resort, but if the university doesn’t negotiate and row back on its disastrous plans, we will be left with no choice.”

A Cardiff University spokesperson said: “This is disappointing as industrial action will inevitably cause disruption for some of our students and we will do everything we can to minimise its impact.”

Cardiff UCU has tabled an alternative proposal for a longer, more gradual recovery which draws on available funds without cutting jobs, which has cross-party political support in Wales. 

The Welsh government has made £19m of additional funding available to Welsh universities and said they should work in social partnership with UCU to avoid compulsory redundancies. 

Since the cuts were announced, Cardiff University leaders have come under sustained pressure to reverse them.