University of Dundee compulsory redundancy plans result in new wave of strikes

University and College Union (UCU) members at the University of Dundee today, Monday 26th May. begin a further five days of strike action over threatened job losses and staff facing compulsory redundancy.

The strike follows 15 days of strikes in February and March.  Since then, university senior management, in the face of continued industrial action and criticism from the Scottish Government and local politicians, backtracked on their original plans to cut 700 jobs.  Management initially accepted Scottish Government advice, announcing a reduced figure of 300 job losses through a voluntary redundancy process.   But the employer is refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies and redundancy consultations are well under way in both the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science (LRCFS) and the Educational Assistive Technology Team (EduAT) at the university.

The union said that members were shocked that staff were still facing compulsory redundancy in both the LRCFS and EduAT.  UCU is clear that the EduAT team is transforming the education of disabled students in the UK and beyond, and that the First Minister has stated on the record that the Leverhulme Centre is fundamental to the future of the university.

The union said that Assistive Technology plays a vital role in enabling learners with additional educational needs to achieve their individual potential and that it is baffling that EduAT remains at risk despite being sustainable and profitable. The unique MSc is transforming the lives of all disabled learners by equipping multidisciplinary professionals to assess, provision, support and review Assistive Technology within education, health and social care.

The union said that it remained committed to playing a positive role in ensuring a sustainable future for the university, but that the use of compulsory redundancies was unacceptable. 

A spokesperson for the Dundee UCU branch said:  "The announcement at the end of April that, instead of up to 700 jobs being cut, the University is looking to lose 300 staff via a voluntary severance scheme was welcome.   However, the threat of compulsory redundancies is still looming over staff once a voluntary severance scheme closes, and there are staff at the university that are currently facing redundancy in the Leverhulme centre and EduAT. We call on the employer to abide by the Scottish Government's call to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies, and to commit to making any savings through voluntary methods.  

"The employer is pushing ahead with redundancies, and given that jobs are on the line our members felt they had no choice but to embark upon further industrial action.  That's why members will be taking strike action for five days.  UCU wants to work for a sustainable future for the university, for students, staff and the city of Dundee, but our members must take a stand against compulsory redundancies."   

Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: "Some seven months after first announcing that management failures had led to an unforeseen deficit, the fact that staff are still facing an uncertain future with management still unwilling to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies shows the ongoing crisis in the university's leadership and governance.  The intervention of Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council is welcome and essential, but as well as dealing with the immediate crisis at Dundee, we also need to see wholescale revision of governance arrangements at universities to ensure this never happens again."