Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Bradford College have voted in favour of both strike action and action short of a strike in their fights to save jobs. Over 81% of UCU members who voted, voted for strike action and 90% voted for action short of a strike.

The union said that the result was indicative of the strength of feeling among UCU members across the country over savage funding cuts and damaging job losses. Bradford College is looking to make 18 teaching staff redundant and axe courses in counselling, metallurgy and music technology, as well as reducing provision in basic literacy. 

The union said the planned cuts made a mockery of the college’s claim to ‘enhance community cohesion through a new strategy for binding communities together.’  Bradford College works with some of the most underprivileged communities in Yorkshire and UCU warned that job losses will have a devastating impact on key social programmes and specialist learning.

Bradford College is one of the few institutions in the UK to run classes in metallurgy, which provides vital materials skills training and education for the manufacturing industry and UCU said that the cuts risked damaging the college’s academic reputation.

The nature and timing of industrial action will become much clearer in the next few days as UCU members at the college meet to discuss their next steps.

UCU regional official for Yorkshire, Julie Kelley said: “It is criminal that at a time when we should be looking to extend further education's ability to meet the needs of our communities, Bradford College is looking to get rid of staff and key courses.  If these cuts go ahead it will be the most socially deprived areas of Bradford that suffer the most.

 No statement was offered on behalf of the College.