Students could face five weeks of strike action at Edinburgh University
Students could return only to find lectures cancelled over what union boss describes as ‘academic vandalism’
Students at the University of Edinburgh could start the academic year this month amid strike action from staff as an ongoing dispute over budget cuts and redundancies continues.
Members of the University Colleges Union (UCU) Scotland at the university will strike for 25 days over five weeks from September 28 to demand management rule out compulsory redundancies.
Principal Sir Peter Mathieson first announced £140m in cuts and an estimated 1,800 job losses in early 2025 which he said would prevent the institution falling into deficit in the face of financial challenges facing the sector.
“Staff are facing increased workloads, the threat of redundancies, and continuing uncertainty created by restructures and cuts,” Edinburgh branch co-secretary Nik Matheou said.
He said: “We have given management another opportunity to avoid the strikes. We need a commitment to no compulsory redundancies, meaningful consultation and action to address hidden job losses and increased workloads”.
The University of Edinburgh, which has been approached for comment, previously said it was “seeking to avoid compulsory redundancies where possible”.
The lead-up to strike action coincides with an email sent to staff outlining cuts to its College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in “clear areas of duplication, low student uptake and courses that may be due or review or retirement”.
The union’s previous strike action, including a marking and assessment boycott at the end of last semester, has proved unsuccessful.
It said last month that its campaigning and industrial pressure had succeeded in getting management to continuously hold off on compulsory redundancies which were delayed until this month.
“Our members have been clear that compulsory redundancies must not be the university’s answer to its financial challenges,” the branch’s co-president Lena Wånggren said.
She added: “Five weeks of strike action is not what anyone wants, but members are prepared to take action to protect jobs. UCU members are prepared to take action for our colleagues and our students – we want to safeguard students’ education not just for five weeks in Autumn but for the future.”
UCU’s general secretary Jo Grady called the job cuts, which are said to be the largest in Scottish higher education, “academic vandalism”.
However, the union boss said the strike can be avoided if management rules out compulsory redundancies, “meaningfully engage” and “take action” to end the 18-month long dispute.
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