Scottish universities hit by strike

UCU Glasgow - credit A K M Adam​

Staff at four Scottish universities are on strike today as a result a pay dispute.

The walkout by members of the University and College Union (UCU) at St Andrews, Strathclyde, Dundee and Abertay universities follows previous action this year across the UK after rejecting a 1.1 per cent pay offer from the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA).

Other UCU members will work to contract as part of the dispute, boycotting additional work.

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The union also hopes to disrupt the process of appealing grades over the summer by encouraging external examiners to resign.

The UCEA has said it is “disappointed” by the action as staff received a “very good pay offer”.

However the UCU argues staff have experienced a 14.5 per cent real-terms decrease since 2009 while principals’ pay has increased by up to 15 per cent. Insecure contracts and the gender pay gap have also been highlighted by the union.

Mary Senior, UCU Scotland official, called the industrial action a “significant escalation” in the dispute.

“This reflects the genuine anger at the high-handed way the employer has handled these negotiations.  Our members don’t take going on strike lightly, but after six years of real terms falling pay they have little option,” she said.

The strikes have been spread out across institutions for maximum impact. Staff at Stirling University, Queen Margaret University and Glasgow Caledonian University conducted strikes in late June.