A second union has announced it is balloting staff at Edinburgh University over strike action, claiming “irresponsible” cuts being proposed in response to a £140m funding gap could “deeply damage the education students receive”.
The trade union Unison is asking some 600 professional services staff at the institution – including student advisers, librarians, cleaners, security and facilities staff – if they are prepared to take strike action.
It comes after the University and Colleges Union (UCU) announced its own ballot, claiming the institution had refused to rule out compulsory redundancies.
Concerns were raised when Edinburgh University principal professor Sir Peter Mathieson said that “radical university-wide actions” were needed in response to the funding gap – which amounts to about 10% of the institution’s annual turnover.
He warned in February the institution – one of four ancient universities in Scotland – will need to have a “smaller staff base and lower operating costs” going forward as it seeks to deal with the “severe financial difficulty our university, and the wider sector, is facing”.
Unison however insisted that any move to close or merge schools and programmes would impact both staff jobs and students’ learning.
It is demanding Edinburgh University commits that there will be no compulsory redundancies, and that staff will not be asked to take on additional work as a result of cutbacks.
Unison’s University of Edinburgh branch secretary June Maguire said: “These cuts are irresponsible and will deeply damage the education students receive.”
She added: “The university must protect its services and the staff who provide them.
“There should be no compulsory redundancies, outsourcing of services or extra work caused by this damaging process for already overburdened employees.”
John Mooney, Unison’s regional organiser for Scotland, meanwhile called on university managers to “get around the table and work together with unions to reduce the damage any cuts will cause”.
Unison said its consultative ballot – which runs until April 25 – was the first step towards strike action, with a formal postal ballot planned after that if members back industrial action.
But UCU members have already backed action in a consultative ballot, with that union now carrying out a formal strike ballot, which is open until May 20.
It comes after three quarters (75%) of UCU members said they would be willing to go out on strike, with 85% prepared to take part in action short of this, which could see staff work to contract or refuse to cover for colleagues.
UCU branch president Sophia Woodman said: “There is no need for the university to be making cuts of £140m.”
She added: “The UCU branch is as determined as anyone to ensure the long-term feasibility and health of Edinburgh University but that should be a future where staff and students, and teaching and research are at the forefront.
“Cuts of the size university senior management are planning will have a devastating impact not just on the university’s future, but also on the city and our local economy.
“University senior managers need to listen to what staff are telling them, rule out compulsory redundancies and engage with the union to find a better way forward.”
Meanwhile, UCU general secretary Jo Grady branded the planned cuts “nothing short of academic vandalism”.
“Edinburgh University is one of the Scotland’s oldest and most respected universities with an unparalleled reputation internationally,” she added.
“Professor Mathieson needs to reconsider these brutal cuts and do his job in protecting staff jobs and the university’s reputation and future.”
The ballot’s opening coincides with the end of 15 days of strike action by UCU members at the University of Dundee over plans to cut 632 jobs.
The UCU said that while there appears to have been “serious mismanagement” at Dundee, there is “no need” for cuts at Edinburgh.
Responding, Sir Peter said action was needed now to ensure the university remained “strongly placed” for the future.
He stated: “We are, and have been, in discussion with our joint trade unions throughout this process, during which they have been provided with detailed financial modelling.
“We have also been in active conversation with our funding bodies and Government representatives, and are open to further dialogue.
“We appreciate many of the concerns raised by colleagues, students and others in our community, and we are making every effort to listen.
“However, we have been very clear that our current financial position is not sustainable and we are not immune to the challenges that the higher education sector is currently facing.
“The actions we must take now, which include a reduction of both staff and non-staff operating costs, will ensure that we remain strongly placed for the future, so that we can continue to attract the brightest minds and remain a world-leading university.
“We will continue to liaise with our unions and urge them to work together with us to shape a positive and sustainable outcome for the university and its community.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
