HIGHER education workers called off planned strike action this week as conciliation talks are due to start on Thursday with Cardiff University leaders. 

Cardiff University UCU members called off tomorrow’s strike as a gesture of goodwill ahead of a meeting chaired at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). 

All other planned industrial action is set to go ahead, including an indefinite marking and assessment boycott (MAB) and strike action on May 6, followed by six further all-out strike days in June.

The union’s key demand is for Cardiff University bosses to reconsider the planned 400 job cuts and rule out compulsory redundancies this year.

Cardiff University UCU branch president Dr Joey Whitfield said: “After three months of uncertainty and fear, levels of trust in leadership are very low among our members. 

“This meeting represents a glimmer of hope that managers are seeing that their programme of rapid and destructive cuts is not necessary. 

“But the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. We are not celebrating anything yet.”

A Cardiff University spokesperson said: “We welcome UCU’s decision to suspend the first day of their planned strike action, and that they have accepted our offer of Acas facilitated talks. 

“We are hopeful these discussions will mean we can avoid compulsory redundancies at Cardiff University this calendar year.

“We have always been clear, compulsory redundancies are the last resort. While they can never be completely ruled out, we will do everything possible to avoid them.

“We hope these new talks will prevent further planned strike action and the inevitable disruption for our students and staff and help us agree a way forward to secure the university’s long-term future.”

In a statutory industrial action ballot, 83 per cent of Cardiff UCU members’ votes backed strike action, and 86 per cent backed action short of a strike up to and including an assessment boycott.