Cardiff University moves referred to as off as task cuts paused

Planned strike motion at Cardiff University has been referred to as off after a pledge there can be no obligatory task losses this yr

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) have licensed a deal which used to be reached after discussions between unions and college control in a unique assembly on Thursday.

The settlement does no longer rule out task losses past 2025 and a session over proposed cuts in some departments will proceed, with main points finalised in June.

Cardiff University stated the settlement used to be a “welcome relief”, however the UCU described it as a “bittersweet victory”.

Industrial motion as a part of a UK-wide dispute in 2023 brought about vital disruption and supposed many scholars weren’t ready to graduate for months after completing their lessons.

The college has stated it used to be ready to droop obligatory redundancies for this calendar yr “because of the number of applications for voluntary redundancy currently received”.

Last month it up to date the choice of proposed task losses from 400 to 286, bearing in mind team of workers who had opted to depart voluntarily.

At the similar time it stated a arguable proposal to near the nursing division might be changed via a brand new plan which might imply the college would raise on coaching pupil nurses.

But proposals to near the colleges of track, trendy languages, historic historical past and faith and theology stay at the desk, in addition to plans to merge different departments.

Dr Andy Williams, of Cardiff UCU, stated the settlement used to be a “bittersweet victory” which happened “after forcing our management back to the table with a huge campaign”

Describing the outcome as “really good news for students”, he stated there could be no business motion beneath the present mandate this yr, which leads to September, however that participants had voted to resume the mandate.

He added: “We’re still going through a lot of difficult changes and some things that need to be resisted at Cardiff University, so the prospect of further industrial action remains a distinct possibility”.

Dr Williams stated other folks had been nonetheless “really worried” with “ongoing and widespread cuts” on the college having “a huge impact on our ability to do our jobs, on our health… and on our ability to provide the excellent education we feel our students deserve”.

Cara, 23, who research drugs on the college, stated it used to be “nice” to listen to the moves have been cancelled, however she was hoping team of workers had “got the deal that they’re after”.

Meanwhile, politics and journalism pupil Amelia, 21, stated she “completely empathised” with the departments prone to cuts, however stated moves and different business motion might be “really disheartening” for college students who had labored onerous and will have to be a “last resort”.

Fflur Evans, 20, added she felt the college had handled the placement “unprofessionally” and “cruelly”.

“My lecturers have been there for me so much, and I’d like to think that we as students would be there for them too,” stated the traditional historical past pupil.

“I think it’s important that we stand with our lecturers.”

A Cardiff University spokesperson stated: “We are very pleased that we have been able to arrive at this point, and we reconfirm our desire to work in partnership for the benefit of students, staff and our wider university community.

“We hope now to transfer ahead with extra certain and optimistic talks with our campus industry unions on how we will paintings in combination to cope with our fast monetary demanding situations and protected the college’s long-term long term.”

The consultation period ends on 6 May, with final plans to be signed off by the University Council on 17 June.

Unions have called for clarity on what the deal will mean for the more than 1,200 staff members who are currently “in scope” for redundancy.

Additional reporting via Elin Alexander