Queen Margaret University staff strike during graduation days amid jobs cuts dispute
The dispute is over proposals by senior managers to cut £4 million in staffing costs over the next two financial years.
Staff at Queen Margaret University are striking during their students’ graduation ceremonies this week, amid a dispute over job cuts and research time.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) stood outside the Usher Hall on Monday, congratulating students on their graduation while asking them to put pressure on university management to protect the university’s future.
The industrial action, which was voted for by 92 per cent of members on a 67 per cent turnout, will run for a second day on Tuesday.
Alongside the strikes, other members of staff are taking action by refusing to cover for absent colleagues and taking part in voluntary activities.
The trade union is calling for the university to rule out compulsory redundancies amid plans to cut £4million in staff costs during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years.
A voluntary redundancy scheme has been made available to staff, however the trade union claims more than five people remain at risk of losing their jobs by being made compulsorily redundant.
Officers say the university also plans to cut research and scholarship time for academics, impacting workloads and working conditions.
The Queen Margaret University UCU branch co-president Judith Lane said: “Management at QMU seem determined to drive through these cuts but the ballot result and the strike this week show UCU members’ determination to protect every job and push back against these unnecessary cuts.
“Management’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies despite the relatively low number affected shows that these cuts and their brutal nature are a choice rather than a financial necessity.”