University staff could strike unless reassurances over job losses are given by its vice-chancellor as pressure mounts on him and other senior managers.

Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) announced last month it would look into redundancies as a way of saving £20 million in a move that could put 400 roles at risk.

Crippling overheads, a perceived lack of central funding and student retention issues have led to CCCU’s financial picture being bleaker than expected, with vice-chancellor Rama Thirunamachandran admitting to staff 80% of savings would be made through job cuts.

But a University and College Union (UCU) Canterbury branch ballot in response to the news revealed almost 90% of voting members would support entering a trade dispute with the university over the potential loss of a quarter of the CCCU workforce.

The poll revealed 70% also backed a further ballot regarding strike action, while almost three-quarters support a vote of no confidence in Prof Thirunamachandran, the senior management team and the board of governors.

However, only a third of eligible members took part in the ballot – something the UCU says is as a result of staff already being on Christmas break and the turnaround of just three working days to get votes in.

The union has now given the vice-chancellor until January 10 to rule out compulsory redundancies but says it will declare a formal trade dispute should it not be offered the reassurances it desires.

It also wants better terms for those who do choose to take up redundancy, and is also calling for an agreed pay rise for Prof Thirunamachandran - who earns just shy of £300,000 – and other senior managers to be scrapped.

The potential job losses come despite the university making a profit of £3.6m in the 2023/24 financial year - although this was down from £7.2m the previous year.

The annual reports released in the summer also said the university expected to continue to make a profit.

“These forecasts provide confidence to the governing body over the financial sustainability of the university and confirm the university remains a going concern throughout 2023/2024 and for the foreseeable future,” the 2023 financial statement says.

And this year, it said: “The governing body has reviewed the financial forecasts through to 2028/29.

“Whilst recognising the uncertainty over funding beyond 2025/26, the board remains assured the university continues to be a going concern.”

A CCCU spokesperson previously told KentOnline: “If we take no action our expenditure in 2025/26 will exceed income, and like many universities we will be running at a deficit.

“This would be unsustainable in the long term and highly irresponsible management.”

UCU regional support official Ade Phillips said: "Canterbury Christ Church UCU branch have formally registered and entered into dispute with the university, and a ballot for strike action is an option we may reluctantly be forced to consider, if the employer is not prepared to resolve the current industrial dispute through collective consultation, negotiation and agreement.”

CCCU is a major employer in the south east and a centre for undergraduate and postgraduate education.

Its main campus is in the city but it also has one in Medway at Chatham Maritime and in Tunbridge Wells.

It comes after the University of Kent announced in January last year that 58 jobs and six courses would be cut on its Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Despite protests by staff and students, a petition 16,000 signatures strong, and an overwhelming majority of academic union members voting for industrial action, bosses said in April they would push forward with the changes.

The university president and vice-chancellor, Professor Karen Cox, resigned that month.

A CCCU spokesperson told KentOnline: “We have not been informed or made aware of any planned strike action, nor of any recent ballots.”