Strike ballot at University of Aberdeen in row over job losses

The row centres on planned cuts that have resulted in 15 members of staff in the school of medicine, medical science and nutrition being told they are at risk of redundancy. The ballot closes on Monday 21 November.

UCU says the university is in good financial health after achieving £8.6 million of staff savings through a voluntary redundancy scheme in 2015. The union has accused the university of breaking its promise to freeze recruitment to reduce the need for redundancies.  

Aberdeen UCU representative, Derek Dawson, said: 'Nobody wants to take industrial action, but UCU members at Aberdeen feel they have no choice. The university has already made considerable savings through a voluntary redundancy scheme and we are dismayed that it is handing out redundancy notices at this time. It has broken its promise to freeze recruitment in an effort to mitigate the need for job losses.

'We believe getting rid of experienced and dedicated staff will do nothing for Aberdeen's reputation.'