Staff at Dundee University have begun 15 days of strikes over management’s failure to rule out compulsory job losses.
Lecturers and other members of the University and College Union (UCU) joined a picket line this morning before a rally scheduled to take place at mid-day outside the Caird Hall.
General secretary Jo Grady will address striking staff and supporters over the dispute, centred on university’s management’s response to the £30 million financial crisis.
Members of the union voted to back industrial action earlier this month, with Unison, another trade union representing support staff, beginning its own ballot.
Union ‘committed to working with Dundee University’
UCU says it is committed to work with the employer to ensure a sustainable future for the university, its students and staff, but that this should not involve compulsory redundancies to close the deficit.
Senior insiders say that without a significant reduction is staffing, it would be impossible to reduce the shortfall.
Some fear as many as many as 500 job losses could be confirmed.
The union said every member of staff forced out of the institution diminishes university’s “educational mission”.
Dundee University UCU branch co-president Ian Ellis said: “No one wants to take strike action but throughout this dispute UCU members at the university have shown they’re determined to do whatever it takes to stop the university forcing staff out of their jobs because of mistakes management has made.”
A Dundee University spokesman said the institution is disappointed by the decision to take industrial action.
He said: “This action, voted for by less than 10% of our staff, will do nothing to help build a more sustainable future for the University.
“We want to work constructively with the trade unions. We have been in regular discussion with the unions since November and remain committed to meaningful consultation going forward.
University ‘disappointed’
“While we recognise the concerns of the unions and staff, we consider this action to be premature as we have not yet made a firm proposal.
“Most staff will be working as normal across the University. We expect the majority of classes and student contact time will proceed as normal but some areas will be more affected than others.
“We will do all we can to mitigate the impacts on our students and ensure as little disruption to their students as possible.”
Conversation