Dundee University staff back strike action in redundancies dispute

Members of the University and College Union at Dundee University have voted to strike in protest at the threat of redundancies.

The ballot was held as the institution looks to cut costs by removing approximately 35 academic posts across its School of Medicine and College of Arts and Social Sciences, and by cutting about 50 administrative roles.

On a 42%, there was 72% support for strike action and 88% for action short of a strike.

The university said it was “absolutely committed” to making the targeted savings through voluntary redundancies and by not filling vacant posts, but warned that it may have to look at compulsory redundancies “if the necessary savings are not reached”.

The union said the exact timing and scale of any action will be decided by early next week.

For more on this story, see Friday’s Courier.