Just under two thirds of the 431 University and College Union members who voted ¨C a 48 per cent turnout - favoured launching a series of strikes in protest at 17 threatened redundancies in Birmingham¡¯s department of nursing and physiotherapy, School of Education and Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity.

The union is also upset at what it has described as ¡°aggressive management tactics¡± by Birmingham.

If Birmingham¡¯s UCU branch gets the go-ahead from the union¡¯s national office, it will stage weekly industrial action for the final four weeks of the current term, with the first half-day strike being held on 28 February.

A statement by the branch says such repeated action is unprecedented at Birmingham.

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It says the 48 per cent turnout is ¡°far higher¡± than for previous strike ballots, and the ¡°strong¡± yes vote amounts to a ¡°major show of strength¡± that will boost UCU negotiators¡¯ position.

As well as seeing the threat of redundancies lifted, the UCU also wants to negotiate a redundancy avoidance agreement and a memorandum of understanding on performance management.

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However, the union¡¯s dispute with the university over the threatened redundancy of sociologist Jos¨¦ Lingna Nafaf¨¦ has ended after Dr Nafaf¨¦ reached a voluntary severance deal with the university. Fears had been expressed that the loss of the university¡¯s only full-time sociologist who is a member of an ethnic minority would hit the teaching of ethnicities.

A Birmingham spokeswoman said the university was ¡°disappointed¡± with the ballot, and felt there was ¡°no justification¡± for strike action.

¡°We are actively engaging with Birmingham UCU and national UCU representatives in a series of constructive discussions to try to reach a common position on the approach to managing performance and the steps which are taken in seeking to avoid redundancies,¡± she said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com