Edinburgh University faces renewed strikes amid £140m cuts row
The principal of the University of Edinburgh has said strike action planned by staff next week marks a “premature end” to an agreement reached in December.
University and College Union (UCU) Scotland members at the institution voted in December to suspend strike action until at least April, after the university agreed to rule out compulsory redundancies during the current academic year.
However UCU claims management has breached the agreement and said members will now take strike action for two days on Monday March 30 and Wednesday April 1.
It comes amid a dispute over the university’s plans to cut its budget by £140 million.
The university strongly refutes any suggestion that it has not upheld the terms of the agreement it reached with UCU Edinburgh (UCUE) in December.
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the university, said: “The decision from UCU Edinburgh to take industrial action brings a premature end to the agreement we reached in December 2025.
“By targeting strikes during teaching, exams and graduations, our students will now be placed under more strain during an already challenging and important time.
“While we respect the right to protest, we will do everything we can to protect our students and staff from any disruption.
“It is disappointing that the good faith and openness we have maintained in our engagements with UCUE have not been reciprocated and that this action is being directed against our students.
“We will continue all legally required consultation with union representatives and will continue to uphold our commitments under the agreement, as we believe this is in the best interests of our staff.”
UCU claims management has breached the agreement by not engaging meaningfully.
UCU Edinburgh branch president Sophia Woodman said: “We thought we had a deal which would protect members until the end of April, but members are clear that management haven’t engaged in meaningful consultation and we’ve no choice but to come back out on strike.
“To resolve this dispute and the save jobs and rule out the use of compulsory redundancies in the long term, we need managers and the principal to engage openly and honestly with us, including negotiations on finances.
“Unions have proposed a framework for redundancy avoidance that outlines terms of meaningful engagement.
“We are ready to return to negotiations tomorrow to find ways forward that avoid further damaging staff cuts.”
Elsewhere, lecturers at Glasgow Caledonian University are being balloted on potential strike action in a dispute over job cuts.
It comes amid a number of ongoing disputes at other universities in Scotland.
Industrial action has so far affected Aberdeen, Dundee, Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde universities.
At Glasgow Caledonian, the UCU says a voluntary redundancy scheme is expected to see the loss of 100 posts, but compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out.
Staff will be balloted on whether they are willing to take strike action or action short of a strike. The ballot runs until Thursday April 23.
Karen Lorimer, UCU branch president, said: “Workers have already shown that we’re willing to take a stand against these cuts, jobs losses and compulsory redundancies.
“The turnout at our rally, the support from students, and the evident anger at management’s proposals are clear signals that workers represented by the campus unions will defend jobs.
“Management need to know that any use of compulsory redundancies is unacceptable.
“We’re calling on the principal and management to open the books and for full financial transparency.
“We’ll work with management to look for alternative savings but we’re clear that no jobs should go until all possible alternatives have been tried.”
Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: “Jobs are being lost across Scottish higher education like never before.
“With an election in just over a month’s time, politicians and the Scottish Government need to take emergency measures to stop the crisis.
“We need to fully fund our universities and provide emergency funding to stop the exodus of jobs.”
A spokesperson for Glasgow Caledonian University said: “Like many other universities across the sector this year, Glasgow Caledonian University has experienced a drop in international student recruitment.
“International students contribute significantly to campus life, of course, but international student income is also essential for financial sustainability given that funding arrangements for Scottish students do not cover the costs of delivery.
“As a result, over a two-year period we have seen a £33 million loss of income, and face a predicted financial deficit of over £10 million in the next financial year. We therefore urgently need to take action to ensure the financial sustainability of the university.
“To address this substantial reduction in income, the university has launched a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme for staff working in areas where international student numbers have reduced or where activity has been sustained by international income.
“The scheme will run until April 15 and look to identify upwards of 100 posts.”