The Sheffield University and College Union are continuing to strike to protest the cuts and changes to staffing costs.
Staff are taking part in picket lines across the University of Sheffield campus from 7-14 May and are also calling on staff to take continuous action short of a strike, which includes not rescheduling any classes cancelled as a result of strike action.
Dr Tim Herrick, School of Education, said: “There are strikes today because of the wave of restructures that the university leadership are pushing through the institution.
“Those restructures will change the student experience. They will affect the kind of academic programmes and provisions we can offer, and present the risk of redundancies for staff members.”
These planned strikes follow on from the rounds that began in November 2024, as a response to plans to cut £5 million through staff redundancies.
Dr Herrick said: “Very little has changed – there has been ongoing negotiations with the University and there has been the involvement of ACAS, the reconciliation service, who were unable to make any progress either.”
Union members do not have to inform the University about their intent to strike, and students may be entitled to compensation over any missed teaching hours and are invited to attend “teach out” sessions.
Dr Herrick said: “I think it’s important to say that nobody on the picket line wants to be on strike. We would all much rather be working, teaching or carrying out research.
“We’re here because we’re concerned about the long term fate of the university and what is viable not just this year, but for the experiences of future students.”
The Sheffield UCU website statement said: “We have serious concerns over the scale and pace of the changes, as well as the impact on students and other staff members who aren’t at risk of losing their jobs.”