LECTURERS, librarians and support staff at the University of Cumbria have voted for strike action as part of the University and College Union (UCU) national ballot.

UCU members overwhelmingly voted 'yes' to strike action in two historic national ballots - with over 80 per cent of members voting to walk out.

Staff were balloted across two separate ballots: pay and working conditions, and cuts to pensions with members voting to strike on both issues.

Details of the action and dates have yet to be announced, but the union will have six months in which to take action.

'Workers are ready and willing to bring the entire sector to a standstill'

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “History has been made by our members in universities, who in huge numbers have delivered an unprecedented mandate for strike action.

“The vice chancellors who run universities have repeatedly and in a coordinated fashion come after our members.

“Well, now it's 150 bosses against 70,000 university workers who are ready and willing to bring the entire sector to a standstill, if serious negotiations don't start very soon.”

READ MORE: Brand new music festival coming to Muncaster Castle

The UCU have become the third union this year to successfully ballot for strike action after the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and the Communications Workers Union (CWU).

Rising inflation and soaring living costs have all contributed to industrial unrest across the country with nurses, teachers and firefighters all considering strike action to combat real term pay cuts after inflation.

In the pay and conditions ballot, the UCU’s demands include a meaningful pay rise to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.

Staff were offered a 3 per cent pay rise this year, whilst a third of academic staff are on some form of temporary contract.

A University of Cumbria spokesperson said: “The forthcoming industrial action proposed by UCU is part of a national dispute and strike dates, or actions short of a strike, are yet to be determined.

“We are engaged in discussions with UCU locally and will continue with our dialogue, to understand how the University of Cumbria will be affected by the results of the national ballot.”

READ MORE: Polls suggest Starmer more popular than Sunak across Cumbria