ANGER was growing yesterday over a university's proposals to shed up to 58 posts - with the threat of industrial action by academics.

Union leaders at Northumbria University will meet today to ask their members to endorse a ballot for strike action.

They were responding to the Newcastle university's decision to axe jobs in three of its 11 schools - the arts and social sciences; health, community and education studies, and informatics.

A university spokesman said that in a effort to maintain its position in an increasingly competitive world marketplace, the university had forecast the need for a minimum growth of five per cent year-on-year.

He said: "All academic schools had been required to achieve agreed annual growth targets and cost management projections. Only eight had done so."

In arts and social sciences, 22 out of 174 posts will be axed, while 19 out of 265 posts will be cut in the health, community and education studies, and 17 out of 130 posts in the informatics department.

Martin Levy, branch chairman of the Natfe union, said last night: "We have told management we do not accept the basis on which redundancies are being made and will oppose any redundancies, particularly compulsory redundancies."

Mr Levy said the announcement had caused a great deal of anxiety.

Modern languages would be particularly affected, with 11 out of 22 posts to go.

He criticised the university for cutting the posts, while pressing ahead with a £60m expansion at the Warner Village site, in Newcastle - including new teaching buildings and student accom- modation.

He added: "The logic seems to be to make a good impression on students when they come here, when it is more important that they should be taught.

"There is no recognition of the need to for a more longer-term view and to cross subsidise in order to maintain the diversity of the university."

The university has said every effort would be made to avoid compulsory redundancies through the none replacement of vacancies or of short-term contracts.

There would also be a review of temporary staff contracts and options for voluntary redundancies.