14 April 2025
Dear students,
We’re writing to let you know that on Friday 11 April, the University and College Union (UCU) gave Cardiff University formal notice of our intention to take industrial action in two weeks. We want to write to you directly and honestly about what this means — and, most importantly, why we’re doing it.
We know how difficult this may be to hear. As your lecturers, and professional service staff, we are truly sorry to be taking action that could impact your academic progress. We understand how hard you’ve worked, how much you’ve invested in your studies, and how much this university experience means to you.
Please believe us when we say: we do not want to do this.
Unfortunately, we feel we have been left with no choice. We have spent many months trying to engage constructively with the University Executive Board (UEB) through every channel available — submitting counter proposals, attending consultation meetings, gaining huge support from across the political spectrum, and raising our voices in the press. Still, the university is pressing ahead with plans for course closures that still involve hundreds of job losses, even after 114 academic staff have already agreed to leave voluntarily. Their planned cuts have already done serious reputational damage but if they are not stopped risk affecting the quality of education and student experience for years to come.
We are calling on the Vice Chancellor and the University Executive Board to agree not to make any compulsory redundancies in the year 2025 as part of cuts programme. That is our only demand. We believe this is a reasonable and essential step to safeguard, not only our jobs, but also student education and the future of the university.
In pursuit of this, Cardiff UCU members have voted to take the following industrial action:
- A Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) starting 6 May, which may delay the processing of marks and final results
- Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) starting 6 May, which involves refusing additional voluntary duties
- Targeted strike days on 1 May, 6 May, 9 June, and 23–27 June, timed around key dates in the university calendar
Although this action may feel as though it unfairly targets students, given the time of year we don’t believe that other kinds of Industrial Action would be effective.
We are still hopeful that we will not have to take this action. The university managers have it in their hands to change course, slow down the pace of change and enact plans in ways that do not harm education at Cardiff.
We believe that you have the power to help us by writing to the Vice Chancellor and the Chair of Council and members of the University Executive Board letting them know how you feel, urging them to change course. They may well listen more to your voices than to ours.
We are deeply sorry that this action may affect your assessments. We know it will cause uncertainty and frustration, and we do not take that lightly. Please know that this action is being taken not against you, but for the future of education in Cardiff and our shared university community.
We continue to hope that the University managers will do the right thing. They have the power to end this disruption. The responsibility is theirs.
Thank you for reading, and for your understanding and support so far. We remain committed to your success, and we will continue to fight for a university that values both its staff and its students.
With regret, and gratitude for your solidarity,
Cardiff UCU