DUCU walks out, students speak out

By Hugh Ludford, Abigail Tobias, Isla Mustin and William Milne

The majority of students support the strikes by the Durham branch of the University and College Union (DUCU) that took place last week, according to an Instagram poll by Palatinate. Out of 545 students who took part in the poll, 64% (347) supported the strikes, 22% (119) did not support the strikes, and 14% (79) were unsure.

When asked whether they supported the marking and assessment boycott, a lower percentage of students were in favour. Out of 547 students who took part in the poll, only 33% (182) agreed with the boycott. 45% (247) disagreed with the boycott, and 22% (118) were unsure.

The current strikes are in response to Durham University’s announcement that it intends to undertake £20 million in staff cuts across the 2024/24 and 2025/26 academic years, which the University has estimated to result in 200 job losses, with subsequent cuts expected after.

DUCU has said it will call off its current industrial action if Durham University rules out compulsory redundancies, maintaining that any necessary savings should come from non-staff costs and that compulsory redundancies should be off the table.

According to the DUCU’s website, they called industrial action because they “believe that the savings objective of £20m of staff costs over the next two years is unnecessary. Management have yet to present concrete evidence justifying the drastic measures they are proposing.”

“The employer is being uncooperative, refusing to share crucial financial information, and making calloused, unevidenced, choices.

“Durham UCU members have demonstrated our willingness to defend our jobs and our colleagues by voting with record turnout to support strike action and action short of a strike. Now is the time to act.”

“Redundancies are a choice. Targeting professional services colleagues is a choice. Stonewalling meaningful consultation is a choice. University management can choose otherwise.”

Redundancies are a choice. Targeting professional services colleagues is a choice.

DUCU

Palatinate spoke to students concerning the strikes and the effects they would have on the staff and student body. 

Some students were concerned about how the DUCU’s actions might impact their plans post-University. One student told Palatinate that “There is potential that I will lose my graduate job offer. This will be tremendously impactful and I believe that the DUCU are an utter disgrace for doing this.”

Another student said that “I am meant to begin a job in Japan in September but one of the job requirements is to have a university undergraduate degree. Therefore, the company I am set to work for are unable to start the process of applying for my work visa until this certificate comes through. If the marking boycott goes on until a similar time as it did the last time, my job offer will no longer be valid.”

However, other students showed their support for the strike action. 

“We do need to protest, we do need to strike and you know what change is never comfortable – some of the students are going to suffer a little bit,” one second-year law student told Palatinate “I come from a country where you’re not allowed to protest so seeing this to me it’s just very refreshing. Honestly, if anything, I think they aren’t doing enough”. 

Whilst many students supported the aims of striking staff, others are concerned about the impact in the run up to exams, and summative marking. Multiple students and departments have had lectures, tutorials, and seminars cancelled, with some even having their exams rescheduled. 

“I can understand why [University staff] need to strike. It makes a lot of sense that they want to protect their jobs, but I’m also concerned about the loss of student support at a crucial time and feel we should be fairly compensated for tuition fees by the University,” another student told Palatinate.

We are not able to rule out compulsory redundancies at this stage.

Durham University

A third-year Politics and International Relations Student also told Palatinate why they were anti-strikes, saying that “While job losses are always unfortunate, the consequences of the marking and assessment boycott come down on students the hardest, not the university. If the members of the UCU truly want solidarity, their methods of striking should avoid disrupting students, many of whom are at the most critical points in their degree.”

Another fourth-year physics student told Palatinate “was supposed to have my viva for my Master’s project [during the] first week back but due to the last-minute nature of the strikes, was simply told it may or may not happen, leaving me with uncertainty on how to prepare.”

“My major concerns are around stress and anxiety about when marks would potentially be released – a couple of years ago we had to wait until November and I’m really anxious we will have a similar scenario again.”

Arin Mizouri, Co-President of the UCU, told Palatinate,  “I don’t believe in cuts or savings where there’s a huge impact on staff and students.”

 “Any further reduction in staff numbers is going to have a huge impact on the students and that’s the honest truth.

 “The student impact is because the university is refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies. They could end the strikes today if they say they’re taking compulsory redundancies off the table. But they’re not. That should say a lot . The students should be angry at the university itself.”

A Durham University spokesperson told Palatinate “Durham University has for the first time reported an underlying operational deficit. To remain a world-class centre of research and education, we must have a firmly established and sustainable financial base.

“We are seeking to reduce staff costs by £10m in professional staff costs in the academic year 2024/25 and a further £10m in staff costs (£5m in professional staff costs and £5m in academic staff costs) in the academic year 2025/26.

“We are doing all that we can to achieve these necessary financial savings by voluntary measures. However, we are not able to rule out compulsory redundancies at this stage. It is likely to be mid-May before we know if we have done enough to achieve these savings through voluntary severance. This timeline has been shared with our four campus trade unions, including Durham UCU, and our staff.

“We have shared extensive financial information with all four trade unions and consulted them at length, in addition to publishing our externally audited accounts for 2023/24 in the public domain.

“Alongside the voluntary severance scheme, we have implemented extensive efficiencies and reductions in non-staff expenditure. We have no choice but to shore up the financial position of the University, in the interests of present and future members of Durham University.

“It is deeply disappointing that Durham UCU took strike action, and has given notice of a marking and assessment boycott. These actions are unnecessary at a time when we are trying hard to make savings through voluntary means and as we let staff know about the outcomes of their voluntary severance applications.

“Our top priority will be to ensure students receive their marks or degree classification and can carry on with their plans for the future.

“While it is not possible to know how many members of staff will take part in the marking and assessment boycott, we have detailed mitigations in place to minimise disruption and support our students.  

“Students should assume that teaching and assessments will be held as scheduled unless they are notified otherwise. All examinations will go ahead as scheduled.

“Students who have specific questions or concerns may contact their academic department, and our student support services are available, including 24/7 mental health and wellbeing support.

“We will write to students with any important updates, and more information is available on our SharePoint pages.

“We urge the local branch of UCU seriously to reconsider its industrial action, with students in mind.

“If this action were to go ahead, we would have extensive measures in place to protect students, including liaison with employers and other universities to which our students have applied. No student would be prevented from proceeding with their studies as a result of a marketing and assessment boycott.”

When asked by Palatinate about the impact of the strikes on students, DUCU said “We are taking action because we want you to have the best university experience possible – the best teaching, the best student support, the best college life.”

DUCU also responded to the fact that fewer students support the MAB compared to the strikes by saying “We would encourage students to remember that a MAB ultimately presents less harm to students than a strike. With strike action, our labour is withdrawn in its entirety and we can no longer provide any support to students.”

The DUCU reiterated their message to the university by calling on them to “Rule out compulsory redundancies now […] We are a part of a city, a community, a county, a region, which depends on us as an educator and an employer.”

Image: Abigail Tobias