Hundreds of staff walked out yesterday as the University of Sussex was hit by a second wave of strikes over redundancies.

It was the second one-day walkout in as many months by University and College Union members in protest against plans to cut 112 posts at the Falmer campus.

The demonstration continued when about 200 staff and students from Sussex, the University of Brighton and City College Brighton and Hove took part in an In Defence of Education rally and march against wider education cuts.

University of Sussex management said they were working with the trade unions to achieve as many of the redundancies as possible “through voluntary means.”

The university first announced its budget cutting “Proposal for Change”

in November.

A total of 115 posts were originally set to be lost as the university attempted to save £5 million in 2010-11.

After consultation with UCU, Unite and Unison that figure was reduced to 107 posts.

However in the last week that number has risen to 112 after it emerged that a further five posts in technical services will now go.

The Brighton march from The Level yesterday was part of a national day of action called by UCU which saw staff at three other universities and 11 further education colleges go on strike.

It culminated with a rally at the Old Ship Hotel in Kings Road where Green Brighton Pavilion parliamentary candidate Caroline Lucas spoke to students and staff.

Labour candidate Nancy Platts also sent a message of support.

A spokesman for UCU said £1 billion of cuts had been announced for universities nationally and further education colleges had also been told to make savings of £340 million next year.

A University of Sussex spokesman said more than 100 people had shown interest in taking voluntary redundancy.

Tom Wills, the University of Sussex Students' Union president, reiterated students' support for the strikers despite union threats that further “significant” action could follow.