A dispute over academic job losses at Dundee University worsened today as lecturers began a “work to contract” campaign.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will work only their contracted hours, perform no extra voluntary duties such as out-of-hours cover or covering for colleagues, and will only set and mark work that they are obliged to.
The UCU are opposed to management plans that will see up to 120 jobs go.
The university has insisted that cost savings are necessary and intends to use a voluntary redundancy scheme to shed as many of the posts as possible, although compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out.
In a ballot for industrial action held earlier this month, 84% of the staff who voted backed working to contract.
Janice Aitken, Dundee UCU spokeswoman, said: “Like all universities, Dundee relies on the goodwill of staff going above and beyond what they are contracted to do. The fact that such a high proportion of members voted for this action shows the strength of feeling against the proposed job losses.
“We still believe that a negotiated solution is still possible and want the university to withdraw the threat of compulsory redundancies and come back to the negotiating table.”
A university spokesman said: “We are aware of the industrial action by Dundee UCU members, voted for by less than 10% of academic and academic-related staff, and will manage operations accordingly.
“We do not anticipate significant disruption to the university’s activities. We believe this action is premature and does not serve the best interests of staff or students. We believe the majority of staff are supportive of the university’s vision to make Dundee as inspiring, robust and efficient an institution as it can be.”
More than 1300 academics work at the university, which has an annual income in excess of £200 million.
However, members of the university court its ruling body heard in April that budget deficits were forecast for the next three years.