Strikes across four of Scotland's universities

University and College Union (UCU) Scotland members are taking strike action today and tomorrow across four of Scotland's universities. 

UCU members at Aberdeen, Dundee, Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde universities are taking strike action as part of separate disputes with their employers.  All four branches are taking strike action on the same two days with some of the branches extending their strike to other days during March. Staff at Heriot Watt will also be striking on Thursday 19, Wednesday 25, Thursday 26, Friday 27, Monday 30, Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April 2026.   Staff at Aberdeen also took strike action on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 March.

The strikes are being held as university employers across Scotland are looking to make financial savings and cutting jobs.  Dundee University has a voluntary severance scheme currently open to cut 180 jobs at the university.  Strathclyde University is cutting 76 roles this year with concerns that there are more job losses to follow.  Heriot-Watt University is cutting 41 jobs across its Scottish campuses and at Aberdeen University management are planning to lose jobs despite over 440 staff having left the university over the past two years.  In each of the four universities where staff are taking strike action senior management are refusing to rule out using compulsory redundancies to cut staff numbers despite repeated requests by the union.

The union says that the number of jobs currently being lost across Scotland's universities is a crisis and called for intervention from the Scottish Government.  The union's manifesto for the Scottish Parliament elections taking place in May, calls on the next Scottish Government to fully fund the sector and for the Scottish Government to provide emergency funding now to end the jobs crisis in Scottish higher education.

Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: "The jobs crisis in Scotland's universities is a result of a decade of underfunding.  Poor management decisions, changing immigration rules and fluctuations in international student recruitment have all played their part, but the key contributor to the current crisis is ongoing government underfunding. 

"Jobs are now under threat as fixed term contracts end without renewal and universities threaten hundreds of redundancies. There has never been a time when so many jobs are on the line.  In turn this is leading to staff being forced to strike and join picket lines to defend their jobs and to oppose cuts.  The Scottish Government and Universities Scotland review into the sector's sustainability is a welcome acknowledgement that things can't go on as they are, but a review is no comfort to the people losing their jobs right now, or to the students seeing their courses cut.  We need the Scottish Government to commit to fully funding our universities and university principals to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies."

Dan Cutts, UCU Aberdeen branch co-chair, said: "UCU members at Aberdeen took two days strike action last week and are back out on strike again this week.  We've been overwhelmed by the support for the strike, and the support we've had from students.  They know that staff cuts mean less choice of courses, and less support from the staff teaching them.  We don't want to be on strike but management's plans for cuts and job losses have left us no choice.  We're prepared to join serious talks with management to bring this dispute to an end, but we're clear that the principal needs to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies."

Ian Ellis, UCU Dundee branch co-president, said: "Despite having lost 500 full time equivalent of staff in the last 12 months, having a new voluntary severance scheme open looking to lose another 180 full time equivalent and being offered £62 million pounds in Scottish Government funding the University of Dundee refuses to rule out compulsory redundancies in the next few months."

Kate Sang, Heriot-Watt branch president, said: "We are disappointed that the university management have not committed to protecting the valuable assets of modern language provision and Scholar, despite ample time and opportunity to do so. Our members are clear - staff should not pay the price for the decisions of the University leadership."

Jen Remnant, Strathclyde UCU branch chair, said: "The very last thing staff want to be doing is going on strike for two days at one of the busiest times of the year. That the branch has opted to strike shows the strength of feeling amongst staff. They have taken this decision because university senior management have forced through their plans to cut jobs and are refusing to avoid compulsory redundancies.  It's not too late to end this dispute and stop staff and students facing the inevitable disruption a strike will bring.  We're ready to sit down to serious talks and to negotiate an end to this dispute.  It's up to senior managers now to commit to the same and to rule out using compulsory redundancies."