The result of a strike ballot among staff at Dundee University is expected today, after a protest was held at the Scottish Parliament.
Academics at the cash-strapped institution were asked whether they would support a strike over the threat to their jobs and management’s failure to rule out compulsory redundancies.
It comes after a vote of no confidence in the university’s remaining senior management team received overwhelming support last month.
Insiders say rank-and-file staff are angry about how university bosses have dealt with the financial crisis and the lack of transparency.
‘Very likely’ Dundee University staff will vote to strike
They said previously it was “very likely” staff would back a strike given the lack of confidence in the executive team.
One source said: “They burnt the house down so how can anyone believe they can rebuild?”
Local Dundee MSP Joe FitzPatrick wrote to interim principal Shane O’Neill saying they must set out what went wrong or face an external probe.
The results of the ballot will be shared with the university before being made public later on Thursday afternoon.
Organised by the University and College Union (UCU), the vote is among academic and support staff.
Walkout could strike further blow to reputation
As well as causing disruption for students, the university will fear any mass walk-out will only further damage it’s reputation locally and across Scotland.
Unite, the other large campus union which represents support staff such as cleaners and catering teams, is yet to call a strike vote.
A spokesman for the university said previously that work on the recovery plan was being carried out urgently and that trade unions would be consulted.
On Wednesday, Dundee UCU members joined colleagues from across Scotland in a rally against university cuts outside the Scottish Parliament.
They were joined by MSPs from Scottish Greens, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.
Speakers criticised the SNP universities ministers for failing to attend, with Mr Dey spotted going for lunch inside parliament as the rally took place.
Professor Carlo Morelli, an economics lecturer at the university, spoke at the rally attacking senior managers at the university who has left in the wake of the crisis – including former principal Professor Iain Gillespie.
He said: “These people are allowed, unaccountable, to move out of the university.
“That’s the problem we’ve got in the higher education sector today, this class of people have had no accountability and no transparency.”
Addressing the crowd, he also warned politicians to “get their house in order” when it comes to higher education funding.
He said: “We’ve got elections next year, if the Scottish Government don’t get to grips with the questions of cuts to higher education, it will be at the centre of the election.
“There’s a warning to politicians: This is not going away and it’s going to get worse.”
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