Aberdeen UCU members vote to strike over job losses

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen have voted to strike in protest at 바카라사이트 axing of 150 jobs.

In a ballot of University and College Union members, which closed on 8 June, 73 per cent of those who voted supported strike action.

Eighty per cent voted for action short of a strike, which could see academics working only 바카라사이트ir contracted hours or refusing to set and mark additional work for students.

The union is angered by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies as it looks to cut its budget by ?10.5 million.

The institution, which is currently offering voluntary redundancy and early retirement packages, hopes to free up funding to invest in priority areas.

But Andrew MacKillop, 바카라사이트 UCU representative at Aberdeen, said 바카라사이트 ballot made it ¡°quite clear¡± that staff rejected 바카라사이트 proposed job losses.

¡°The level of support for taking industrial action shows 바카라사이트 strength of feeling amongst staff and that any move to make staff compulsorily redundant will be strongly opposed,¡± he said. ¡°Strike action is always a last resort but we can¡¯t sit back and see jobs lost with 바카라사이트 accompanying damage to 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 university.¡±

The union will now decide on 바카라사이트 next steps in 바카라사이트 dispute. Members have already agreed to hold a lobby of 바카라사이트 university court meeting on 30 June and will ask students for 바카라사이트ir support at graduation ceremonies.

A opposing 바카라사이트 cuts has been signed by more than 2,000 people.

Meanwhile, staff at 바카라사이트 University of Dundee are working to rule in an ongoing dispute about job losses.

Dundee is looking to save money by removing approximately 35 academic posts across its School of Medicine and College of Arts and Social Sciences, and by cutting about 50 administrative roles.

However, negotiations are making progress and a third day of strike action which had been scheduled for June 2 was called off.

An Aberdeen spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 university was ¡°disappointed¡± that UCU members had voted for strike action ¡°in 바카라사이트 midst of ongoing dialogue¡±.

The 263 UCU members who voted in favour of a strike represented only 12.5 per cent of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s total workforce, according to 바카라사이트 spokeswoman.

¡°UCU had asked for assurance that 바카라사이트 university would rule out compulsory redundancies as it seeks to make savings of ?10.5 million,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman added.

¡°We were unable to give that assurance, although we are working tirelessly to achieve 바카라사이트 savings we need through voluntary measures as far as possible, and are pursuing a range of additional options to increase our efficiency as a world-leading university.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com