Staff at four Scottish universities vote on strike action amid cuts and job losses

Scottish universities are facing renewed strike action as staff vote to defend jobs and oppose compulsory redundancies

1 day ago

Hannah Gross | News

Staff at four Scottish universities, including Glasgow’s University of Strathclyde, are voting on possible strike action in disputes over proposed budget cuts and job losses.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Aberdeen, Stirling, Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde are being balloted on whether to take strike action, as well as action short of a strike such as working to contract, refusing to cover for absent colleagues, or taking part in marking and assessment boycotts.

The ballots come amid mounting pressure across the higher education sector, with universities citing rising costs and falling income. However, the union says senior management at all four institutions have refused to rule out compulsory redundancies – a move it has described as unacceptable.

At Strathclyde, the dispute has particular resonance for students in Glasgow. The university is planning to cut 76 jobs as part of efforts to make £35 million in savings, with UCU calling on management to engage in “meaningful consultation” and to commit to avoiding compulsory redundancies.

Callum Mitchell, third-year politics student at Strathclyde told The Tab Glasgow: “It’s worrying to see lecturers and staff being pushed to this point. We’re already feeling the effects of staff shortages, and cuts like this are only going to damage the quality of teaching and support students get”.

Another Strathclyde student added: “Strikes are disruptive, but it feels like staff are being left with no other option. If the university values its reputation, it should be protecting the people who make it what it is”.

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Elsewhere, 40 staff have already left the University of Aberdeen voluntarily under its Adapting for Continued Success programme, though management has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. At Heriot-Watt, senior management has not ruled out compulsory exits as part of plans to cut at least 41 jobs in Scotland and 10 at its Malaysia campus.

At the University of Stirling, 175 staff have left voluntarily in recent months, with further cuts planned. The union has criticised the situation as particularly stark given that Stirling’s principal, Gerry McCormac, recently became the highest-paid principal in the country.

The latest ballots follow recent industrial action across Scotland. Walkouts took place at the University of Dundee, the University of Edinburgh and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) last year. While the UHI dispute was resolved before Christmas, and strikes at Edinburgh were suspended following concessions including a commitment to no compulsory redundancies this academic year, UCU warns that unrest is far from over.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “We’re just days into the New Year and once again universities across Scotland are facing the possibility of industrial action, with members being forced to vote for strike action to defend jobs and force university principals to rule out compulsory redundancies.

“With a record number of jobs being cut across Scottish universities, the principals at Stirling and Heriot-Watt and those at Strathclyde and Aberdeen, who are starting off their time as principals in the most disappointing way, need to listen to their staff and commit to ruling out compulsory redundancies before these disputes escalate into strikes with resulting disruption to students.”

Students across Glasgow say they are bracing themselves for the impact. Ana Sheffield, a University of Glasgow student, said to The Tab Glasgow: “Even if our uni isn’t balloting right now, it feels like the whole sector is on a knife edge. If Strathclyde goes on strike, it affects the whole city”.

All four ballots open on Monday 5th January and will remain open into February. Strathclyde’s ballot closes on Monday 9th February, followed by Heriot-Watt and Aberdeen on Monday 16th February, and Stirling on Tuesday 17th February.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said compulsory redundancies should only be used “as a last resort,” adding: “While universities are autonomous institutions, we expect them to engage constructively with trade unions to seek resolution to local disputes, in line with Fair Work principles”.

University management at all four institutions said they remained committed to dialogue with unions and stressed the financial pressures facing the sector, but staff and students alike warn that without firm commitments on jobs, disruption now feels increasingly likely.

A Strathclyde University spokesperson said: “The financial pressures on the UK university sector are well documented. Strathclyde maintains a strong strategic, academic and reputational position, and we are proactively reshaping our finances to ensure we continue to deliver excellent teaching, research and innovation.

“This is a continuation of the approach we have taken over the past two years to manage costs and increase income. Using a wide range of measures, we are implementing £20m of planned savings this year and £15m next year. The university has been consulting the campus trade unions on a regular basis regarding proposed changes and will continue to do so”.

A Stirling University spokesperson said: “In an increasingly challenging and unpredictable external environment – where income generation and cost pressures are continuing to impact the entire UK higher education sector – strong financial stewardship and good governance remain essential.

“We are in regular dialogue with a range of stakeholders, including trades union representatives, as we maintain our focus on strengthening the university’s long-term financial sustainability and improving operational effectiveness in support of our strategic priorities”.

An Aberdeen University spokesperson said: “There have been drop-in sessions and workshops about Adapting for Continued Success and more are taking place in January. It’s disappointing to see a ballot being organised when we are still at the engagement and planning phase of the programme and have yet to determine how the university will reposition for the challenging climate facing the UK higher education sector”.

A Heriot-Watt University spokesperson said: “The university has undertaken a comprehensive portfolio review to ensure that academic resources are aligned with current and future teaching and research needs. This evidence-based, collaborative process, involving all relevant academic leaders, has focused on maintaining the right balance of staff, programmes, and courses, investing in areas of strength, and aligning provision with student demand.

“While some roles are affected, the university is committed to exploring all possible measures to minimise the need for compulsory redundancies, including voluntary options and redeployment. We are engaging in full and formal consultation with recognised trade unions and affected staff, and we will give careful consideration to all feedback.

“Our priority for students is continuity and quality, and we do not anticipate any disruption to teaching, assessment, or student support”.

UCU Scotland has been contacted for comment.

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Featured image credit via Wikimedia Commons

Hannah Gross | News