UG staff strike on 18 March!

On 18 March 2025, staff members of the University of Groningen will strike in protest against the cuts to higher education. Staff members will put their work on hold to draw attention to the disastrous consequences of the planned cuts. Members of the Board of the University (CvB) support the message; they will wear red squares on this day as a sign of protest and they invite staff to do the same.

Major cuts

In the Framework Coalition Agreement, the government announced major cuts to higher education and science. The government confirmed these plans in the Budget Memorandum. Combined with the announced Internationalization in Balance Act (WIB), this means that the UG will have to make substantial savings in the coming years, potentially reaching approximately €80 million by 2030.

Important function

The CvB has previously been critical of the cuts. Partly thanks to the lobbying of our CvB, some of the cuts have already been eliminated. They also lobbied for an exception to the WIB. Although the austerity plans have already been adjusted, they still put severe pressure on the quality of research, teaching, and accessibility for students. The UG is firmly rooted in the Northern Netherlands and has an important regional function. With our teaching and research, we work to develop talent and a better, sustainable society. The planned cuts seriously jeopardize these goals.

Participation in strike

The strike at the UG is organized by the unions FNV, AOb, WOinActie, Organize the RUG, and GSb. More information about the exact details of the strike can be found on their channels. UG staff may, of course, decide for themselves whether they want to join the strike, even if they are not a member of one of the organizations involved. No pay will be withheld from staff participating in the strike. Participants are requested to inform their supervisor about their participation. The CvB considers it important that all planned assessments can go ahead and asks academic staff to take this into account. On the FNV website, staff members can find more information about their rights and obligations during a strike. Students cannot strike because they are not employed by the UG. They may, of course, join the protests that are being organized.