Strike ballot over 'unnecessary' university cuts

Staff at the University of Edinburgh are being balloted on strike action in a dispute over plans to cut £140m from its budget.

The Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) claimed the university had refused to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of the cuts.

The union said there was "no need" for the institution to make that level of cuts, describing it as a "manufactured crisis".

It comes after the university's principal, Prof Peter Mathieson, suggested free tuition for Scottish students was not sustainable due to the financial strains on higher education.

The UCU said the planned cuts were the "biggest ever" in the history of Scottish higher education.

They said the university's net assets of about £3bn made it one of the richest in the country and suggested savings could be made by using reserves or cutting capital expenditure.

The ballot is scheduled to run from Monday until 20 May, with staff asked if they would be willing to strike or take action short of a strike.

Branch president Sophia Woodman said: "There is no need for the university to be making cuts of £140m.

"In fact, without a deficit, there's a strong feeling among staff that this is both an unnecessary and a manufactured crisis.

"Cuts of the size university senior management are planning will have a devastating impact not just on the university's future, but also on the city and our local economy."

The UCU said about 75% of members who voted in a "consultative" ballot backed strike action, with 85% saying they would be willing to take action short of a strike.

That would involve a "work to rule" policy and refusing to cover for absent colleagues or take on additional duties.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady called the planned cuts "nothing short of academic vandalism".

"Edinburgh University is one of the Scotland's oldest and most respected universities with an unparalleled reputation internationally," she said.

"Professor Mathieson needs to reconsider these brutal cuts and do his job in protecting staff jobs and the university's reputation and future."

The proposed cuts are the latest measure taken by a higher education institution in Scotland to save money.

Staff at Dundee University were also balloted for strike action last week following reports up to 700 jobs could be cut in an effort to overcome a £35m deficit.

They have also warned some courses may have modules cut or reduced at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Writing in Scotland on Sunday, Prof Mathieson suggested a "re-wiring" of the tuition fee system was needed.

He claimed universities were "nearing or toppling into an economic abyss".

Prof Mathieson said the failure to increase funding for Scottish students, who do not pay tuition fees, has resulted in an "over-reliance" on foreign students.

Prof Mathieson referenced previous comments from the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, after he gave his "iron clad" support for continuing free tuition.

He wrote: "When you consider the rising costs of wages, food, housing, energy bills over the past eight years, in all that time the funding we receive to teach undergraduate students from Scotland and the rest of the UK remained stagnant.

"I hold less hope for the 'iron-clad' promise of so-called free, ie taxpayer-funded, tuition for all in Scotland, but I am keen for us in the sector to work together with politicians across all parties to develop a solution that is both sustainable and fair."

Responding to the ballot, Prof Mathieson said: "We appreciate many of the concerns raised by colleagues, students and others in our community, and we are making every effort to listen.

"However, we have been very clear that our current financial position is not sustainable and we are not immune to the challenges that the higher education sector is currently facing."