Lecturers at Scottish university embark on strike action over 'devastating' cutbacks

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland University Lecturers Association (EIS-ULA) will take to picket lines on the university’s campus in Aberdeen.

Bosses at the institution said they were “disappointed” that a “small number of staff” have signalled their intention to strike, and they will do “all that we can to ensure that our excellent student experience is maintained, and that students and other staff members are not disrupted”.

Robert Gordon University (RGU) announced in November that it planned to make a further 135 redundancies to ensure its long-term “viability”, after 130 workers had already left under voluntary severance schemes.

The university has said it is doing everything it can to “mitigate against the potential of compulsory redundancies”.

A ballot of EIS-ULA members found 83 per cent of those voting backed strikes.

The action follows three weeks of strikes by UCU union members at Dundee University over proposed job cuts, while the union and Unison are also balloting their members respectively at Edinburgh University.

Unite members at Strathclyde University embarked on two weeks of strike action last month over pension changes.

At RGU, the EIS-ULA union said the core of the dispute revolved around the university's proposals for cost-cutting measures, which it argued would lead to substantial job losses and a detrimental impact on educational provision

Garry Ross, EIS national officer for higher education, said, "Our members have been left with no other option but to take strike action.

“They are fighting to protect their jobs, the jobs of their colleagues and to safeguard the future of quality education at RGU. The proposed cuts will have a devastating effect on both staff and students, and the EIS-ULA will not stand by and allow this to happen.

"The EIS is urging the university to return to the negotiating table with a commitment to finding alternative solutions that avoid compulsory redundancies.

“Unless this happens, the strike action is expected to continue, with further planned strike days at the beginning of May.”

Professor Steve Olivier, principal and vice-chancellor of RGU, said: “The university has consulted extensively with trades union representatives since embarking on its finance transformation project in late 2023.

“Against what continues to be an extremely challenging sector context, the actions that have been taken so far have been difficult but necessary and the university will continue to make every effort to mitigate compulsory redundancies which will always remain a last resort.

“RGU must ensure that the institution is in a position to be long-term financially sustainable and can continue to achieve the same success as recent years by offering excellent teaching and learning opportunities while significantly contributing towards the social, economic and cultural development of both the north-east and wider nation.

“We are disappointed that a small number of staff have signalled their intention to strike and will do all that we can to ensure that our excellent student experience is maintained, and that students and other staff members are not disrupted.

“The university will remain in regular and constructive dialogue with the EIS, and other trades union bodies.”