Edinburgh University lecturers walk out again in dispute over savings plan

Lecturers and other staff at the University of Edinburgh are beginning a further three days of strike action in a dispute over the university’s plans to make cuts of £140 million.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will walk out on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with pickets planned at a number of university buildings from 9am to 12pm each day.

A rally is also due to be held outside the Scottish Parliament at 1pm on Wednesday, where the union will ask MSPs to join them in calling on the university to rule out compulsory redundancies.

The union is also calling on the university to enter into “meaningful talks” to resolve the dispute.

The latest round of industrial action follows a week-long walkout in September and a one-day strike in the summer while action short of a strike has been ongoing since June 20.

The union warned future action could see a marking and assessment boycott, which would see its members refuse to invigilate exams or process marks.

Earlier this year, the university announced plans to cut its budget by £140 million to address what principal Professor Sir Peter Mathieson has described as “serious and urgent financial challenges”.

Sophia Woodman, Edinburgh University UCU branch president, said the dispute should have been resolved “months ago”.

“I’m angry that, nine months on from announcing these cuts, staff are no clearer to knowing their future and senior managers’ plans,” she said.

“I’m angry that staff had to be re-balloted over taking industrial action in a dispute that should have ended months ago and that that we are once again having to take strike action because senior managers have refused to meaningfully engage to end this dispute.

“With hundreds of staff having already left, some pushed out, and thousands more worried for their future, university senior management need to finally do the right thing; commit to no compulsory redundancies; and accept the union’s open offer of meaningful talks with a view to ending the dispute.

“Unless and until they do, the threat of more strikes, more disruption and a marking and assessment boycott will hang over the university.

“Students know exactly who’s to blame.”

The UCU has estimated that around 1,800 jobs could be lost under the plans.

It said hundreds had already gone in what it said were “hidden redundancies”, with staff on fixed-term contracts not having contracts renewed as they normally would.

The union added that hourly-paid staff have also had their hours reduced, making their lives more difficult while also cutting employment opportunities for postgraduate research students.

Ms Woodman continued: “It’s also time for MSPs and politicians across Edinburgh and the Lothians to take a keener interest in what’s happening at the university, and for them to impress on the principal that threatening staff with compulsory redundancies is wrong and unbecoming in an institution which is receiving more than £67 million from the Scottish Government in teaching grants this academic year alone.”

Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: “Nine months after announcing huge cuts at Edinburgh, senior management still can’t tell their workforce whether or not they need to use compulsory redundancies.

“If Peter Mathieson, on £400,000 plus a year, can’t set out a way forward that doesn’t involve decimating the university and its staff, and if senior managers aren’t willing engage with the union to resolve this dispute, then we need government and politicians to intervene.”

Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said: “Taking decisive action now is the responsible approach to prevent far greater challenges in the future.

“Engaging openly and listening to our community remains our priority. We are regularly sharing updates on how we are identifying ways to reduce outgoings to sustainable levels, while continuing to deliver world-leading research and exceptional teaching.

“We have been transparent about the savings needed to secure our financial footing. These challenges are not unique to Edinburgh as institutions across the country are facing similar pressures.”