LECTURERS at the the University of Leicester are to stage 15 days of strike action over plans to slash jobs as bosses aim to cut budgets by £11 million, the University and College Union (UCU) announced today.

Staff will strike every weekday from September 29 until October 17 after an overwhelming 80 per cent of UCU members at the university voted in favour of strikes in a ballot with a turnout of 62 per cent.  

Staff in chemistry, film studies, geography, geology and the environment, history, modern languages and the school of education have been warned that their jobs are at risk.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Leicester is trying to slash vital academic jobs as part of an unnecessary plan to save cash. 

“Our members are absolutely right to fight back.”

UCU branch chairman Joseph Choonara said: “Far from staffing costs being too high, the university’s own data shows that spending on staff has fallen as a percentage of income in recent years.”

The university was contacted for comment.