UK universities face prolonged strikes as Nottingham UCU plans 67-day walkout

September 21, 2026 at 04:01 AM2 min

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University and College Union members at the University of Nottingham will begin a 67-day strike at the start of the autumn term over plans to cut 600 full-time equivalent jobs. Staff at Edinburgh and Dundee universities will each strike for 25 days. The action comes as more walkouts are expected to be announced.

Key Facts

Nottingham UCU has declared a 67-day strike starting at the beginning of the autumn term.
The University of Nottingham is seeking to cut 600 full-time equivalent jobs.
UCU members at Edinburgh and Dundee universities have each declared 25 days of strike action.
Last year, striking unions averaged 10 days on picket lines at the start of the autumn term.
Edinburgh UCU says the strike is necessary to counter compulsory redundancies in proposals to cut £140 million from the university budget.

Nottingham Strike

The University of Nottingham's UCU branch has declared 67 days of strike action expected to last most of the autumn term. The university is looking to cut 600 full-time equivalent jobs. Branch president Nick Clarke said the extended strike was necessary given the scale of the job cut proposals leaked in April. Clarke said the industrial action will begin at the same time as the university is due to make a final decision on its proposals. He added that staff feel drained and exhausted by the ongoing threat of redundancy.

Edinburgh and Dundee

UCU members at the universities of Edinburgh and Dundee have each declared strike action lasting 25 days. Edinburgh UCU co-president Lena Wånggren said the strike was necessary to counter the threat of compulsory redundancies included in proposals to cut £140 million from the university budget. Wånggren said five weeks of strike action is not what anyone wants, but members are prepared to take action to protect jobs. She added that UCU members are prepared to take action for colleagues and students and want to safeguard students' education for the future.

Union Militancy

Experts said the long-running strike action marking the start of the academic year is being driven by a new wave of union militancy. The action could serve as a test case for wider walkouts. More strikes are expected to be announced soon, coming on top of a summer of marking and assessment boycotts from staff at Nottingham and Edinburgh. Last year, striking unions were on picket lines for an average of 10 days at the start of the autumn term. The lengthiest spell of strike action occurred at Nottingham, totalling 20 days.