Staff at Glasgow Caledonian University have launched a coordinated strike as UCU, EIS and Unison members walk out over plans to cut about 50 posts. Management cites a £33m income drop and a projected £10m deficit next year as reasons for the reductions, while unions demand a written guarantee against compulsory redundancies. Conciliation talks at Acas have broken down and further strike dates are planned into mid-October. The dispute echoes wider industrial action across Scottish universities amid a sector funding shortfall estimated at around £200m a year.
All Three Campus Unions Strike Together at Glasgow Caledonian Over Planned Job Cuts
Management plan to cut about 50 posts and say they have not ruled out compulsory redundancies [BBC]
Staff at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) have staged coordinated strike action as members of the UCU, the EIS and Unison walked out together for the first time in response to management's plans to reduce staffing levels.
What Happened
University management says it intends to cut about 50 posts after voluntary redundancies reduced an initial proposal of up to 100 roles. Management has not ruled out compulsory redundancies if the required savings are not achieved.
Why Management Says Cuts Are Needed
The university cites a £33m fall in income over two years and forecasts a projected £10m deficit in the next financial year. Officials say the staffing changes are required to restore the institution to a 'sound financial footing' and point to an ongoing strategy of property purchases and disposals as part of long-term planning.
Why Unions Are Striking
The three unions want a written guarantee that no one will be forced to leave. They argue the cuts are a choice rather than an unavoidable necessity, pointing to reported cash reserves of roughly £95m and a recent city-centre land purchase of about £4.5m as evidence that compulsory redundancies could be avoided.
Law lecturer Nick McKerrell said there was no need to cut jobs [BBC]
"Staff want to support students and help the university succeed, but they need confidence that their jobs are secure," said Unison branch secretary Davena Rankin. UCU branch president Karen Lorimer said management's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies left staff with no choice but to strike.
Negotiations and Wider Context
Conciliation talks brokered by Acas collapsed earlier this month. Lecturers had already staged a separate walkout last week, and unions warn additional strike dates will continue into mid-October; the lecturers' unions plan further action next week while Unison intends to stagger its industrial action.
This dispute forms part of a broader wave of industrial unrest in Scottish higher education. At the University of Edinburgh around 3,000 staff began five weeks of strike action over plans to cut about £140m, and staff at Dundee are also undertaking a prolonged walkout. An expert review for the Scottish government estimated the sector faces an annual funding shortfall of roughly £200m and a repairs backlog near £1bn.
What This Means For Students
The unions say that with lecturers and support staff (including IT, security, catering, cleaning, library and welfare services) taking action, campus operations could be brought to an effective standstill. The university says it will try to minimise disruption, but acknowledges that so many services affected will make that challenging.
As talks remain deadlocked, both sides emphasise the stakes: management underlining financial constraints and the unions pressing for job security and a guarantee against compulsory redundancies.
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