Dundee University staff to stage five-week strike over job cuts

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Dundee University will strike for five weeks from September.

The fresh strike action is part of a long-running dispute over cuts and the threat of compulsory redundancies.

The university announced plans to cut 190 more jobs last month, after cutting about 675 jobs through voluntary redundancies.

The university said it was "particularly disappointed" that the strike action was planned "when our students are looking forward to a new academic term".

It has called for Dundee UCU to suspend the strike.

UCU members joined others to lobby the university's court - its governing body - at a protest organised by Dundee Trades Union Council.

More than 100 people gathered outside the city's Bonar Hall where the court was meeting.

Green MSP and Dundee University rector Maggie Chapman told the crowd: "We shouldn't have to be here.

"You, the staff, the students, the wider university community and city deserves better than what what you've got - the crisis that you have been handed over the last couple of years."

The union said its members will be on strike each weekday from 21 September 23 October.

It said staff will also take part in action short of a strike, including not covering for colleagues or undertaking voluntary activities.

Members of the union, which includes academic and support staff, have staged 28 days of strike action in the city over the the last year.

They voted in favour of strike action again earlier this month, since the time limit on a previous strike vote had expired.

Ian Ellis, co-president of the Dundee University UCU branch, said strikes at the start of the new term would have a "real impact for the students starting their studies here".

He added: "The deficit that started this catalogue of failure was the fault of the university executive and court, and the inability to find a solution to this crisis that doesn't wholly impact on staff, who have done absolutely nothing wrong, simply signifies yet another failure of management.

"Government ministers are right to call out the lack of engagement with trade unions and staff.

"We want to be part of the solution to this crisis, but willingness to open and genuine engagement is a prerequisite for that."

The university said in June that it still needed to make annual savings of about £20m, mostly from staff costs.

It first announced a potential £30m deficit in November 2024 and "inevitable" job cuts.

Dundee City Council leaders recently wrote to the Scottish government urging ministers to prevent further job losses at the university.

The letter, signed by all four political groups on the council, asked ministers to "identify every possible option" and consider additional financial support.

The letter highlighted potential closure of facilities, including the Botanic Garden, and said the cuts had implications for Dundee's economy and wider community.

The Scottish government provided £40m in emergency funding to the university last year.

A Dundee University spokesperson said it was disappointed at the length of the strike action.

The spokesperson said: "This remains a profoundly difficult time for members of our community.

While we recognise the right to strike, this action will do nothing to help build a sustainable future for the university."

The university said most staff would be working as normal and it expected most classes and student contact time to proceed.

The spokesperson added: "We want to work constructively with the trade unions and have been in regular discussion with them, including on the ongoing collective consultation process.

"We would encourage Dundee UCU to continue to participate in our consultation process, during which important discussions about our proposals for change are instrumental to meaningful engagement with all of our recognised trade unions and our staff."