Open University staff to go on strike over 'job losses and closures of regional offices'

Online petition against closures receives over 6,100 signatures

Staff at the Open University - one of the biggest universities in the UK for undergraduate education - have announced plans to go on strike for the first time in its history in an ‘increasingly bitter row’ over job losses and the closure of regional offices.

The University and College Union (UCU) confirmed three-quarters (72 per cent) of its members voted to back strike action. Eight in ten (83 per cent) supported action short of a strike, which could include working to contract.

Members are to meet next week to decide their next steps in the dispute.

UCU members at the Open University have previously taken strike action in national campaigns over pay and pensions. However, it said in a statement: “Things have never gotten so bad that they have had to walk out in a local dispute.”

The seven centres earmarked for closure, so far, are in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Gateshead, Leeds, London and Oxford. However, if staff decide to take action, UCU said its members will also walk out from Open University offices in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Manchester and Nottingham.

The UCU added: “The university wants to shut down seven regional centres with the loss of 502 jobs. The ballot results adds further pressure on the university ahead of a crunch council meeting on 24 November where council members will vote on the controversial plans.

“The plans have been widely criticised by staff, students and MPs. Last month, members of the university's senate rejected the plans, describing them as ‘very high risk’, saying they ‘failed to support the academic mission of the university’.”

UCU Open University branch president Pauline Collins described how the only people who ‘still seem to think that axing 500 jobs and closing down seven regional Open University centres is a good idea are the senior managers’.

She said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support from students, former students and even MPs in our campaign.

“The academic body at the university rejected the plans at its senate meeting last month and now the staff have given an overwhelming mandate for strike action at the Open University for the first time in its history.

“We hope the managers will now see sense and work with us to deliver changes that will not be so devastating for the staff, students or future of the Open University.”

An online petition against the closures has already received over 6,100 signatures, with Bassetlaw MP John Mann tabling an early day motion in the House of Commons which opposes the closure of the regional centres.

A spokesperson from the Open University described how the university was ‘disappointed’ that UCU has opted to strike as it does not believe such action will lead ‘to anything positive’.

Full statement from the Open University:

We wish to work constructively with UCU to help the OU succeed. We are disappointed that UCU has initiated a vote for strike action as we do not believe industrial action will lead to anything positive, either for our staff or students. We recognise this is a difficult time for staff affected and we want to work positively with unions to look after staff in the best possible way.

The proposals to replace seven smaller support centres in England with three larger centres would allow us to invest more in student support. Our services to students would be enhanced by these proposals and no existing services to students will be withdrawn.