Lecturers and support staff at Glasgow Caledonian University are on strike today, with members of the UCU, EIS, and Unison unions taking action simultaneously. This marks the first time all three campus unions have walked out together over planned job cuts.
The unions state that the action on Thursday could effectively stop the university from operating. University management plans to cut approximately 50 posts and has not ruled out compulsory redundancies, citing a £33m fall in income over two years, partly due to a drop in international students.
The dispute began in March with plans to cut up to 100 posts, which has since been reduced to about 50 through voluntary redundancies. However, the unions are seeking a guarantee against compulsory redundancies, which management has refused to provide.
Talks at the conciliation service Acas broke down earlier this month. The unions point to £95m in cash reserves and a £4.5m land purchase as reasons why compulsory redundancies are unnecessary, while the university maintains the cuts are needed to address a projected £10m financial deficit in the next financial year.
Further strike dates are planned, extending to the middle of October, with lecturers' unions set to strike again next week and Unison expecting to stagger action among its members.