Scottish University strikes: Up to 6,000 staff at 10 universities in Scotland start three-day strike

Thousands of university staff are beginning a three-day strike across 10 Scottish universities.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) Scotland voted to strike from Wednesday to Friday in a dispute about falling pay, pension cuts and “worsening working conditions”.

The staff, on picket lines outside main university entrances, join colleagues at 58 universities across the UK taking similar action.

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Last month UCU members at the 10 Scottish institutions backed a strike in two separate ballots, one about pension cuts and one about pay.

Thousands of university staff launch a three-day strike on Wednesday in disputes over pensions, pay and conditions, with further action being threatened if a deal cannot be reached (Photo: Peter Byrne / PA).Thousands of university staff launch a three-day strike on Wednesday in disputes over pensions, pay and conditions, with further action being threatened if a deal cannot be reached (Photo: Peter Byrne / PA).
Thousands of university staff launch a three-day strike on Wednesday in disputes over pensions, pay and conditions, with further action being threatened if a deal cannot be reached (Photo: Peter Byrne / PA).

UCU claims employers have misled staff over the size of pension cuts and rejected the union’s demands to address falling pay and worsening working conditions.

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Staff at seven universities – Heriot Watt, Dundee, Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews and the Open University in Scotland – will strike over both pay and pensions.

Staff at Edinburgh Napier, Glasgow School of Art and Queen Margaret University will take action on pay only.

This week, UCU said Universities UK (UUK) had misled staff and vice chancellors about the scale of the cuts it was pushing through.

According to the the union, UUK had repeatedly said its cuts to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension would lead to staff pensions being cut by 10% to 18%.

However, the USS trustees’ own modelling shows that a typical member will see a 36% cut.

The union said staff pay has fallen by 20% after 12 years of below-inflation pay offers while almost 90,000 academic and academic-related staff are on insecure contracts.

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UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “It is deeply regrettable that staff have been forced into taking industrial action again, but sadly university bosses have shown little interest in negotiating in good faith and addressing the serious concerns of staff over falling pay, massive pension cuts, equality pay gaps and the rampant use of insecure contracts.

“The truth is that staff are asking for the bare minimum.

“But sadly, the only time vice chancellors and principals seem to listen is when staff take action, and those leading our universities should not underestimate their determination to change this sector for the better.”

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