Glasgow Caledonian University staff to vote on strike action

Staff at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will begin balloting on Friday, May 1, in response to proposals for up to 100 redundancies aimed at addressing a projected £10 million deficit this academic year.

Discussions between the union and university management have so far failed to resolve the dispute.

This has prompted the Educational Institute of Scotland - University Lecturers' Association (EIS-ULA) branch at GCU to move forward with a formal statutory ballot after a strong show of support in a previous consultative vote.

Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS, said: "It is deeply regrettable that Glasgow Caledonian University has chosen to make this large number of job cuts and pushed staff to the point of balloting for strike action.

"The threat of redundancies is a short-sighted and damaging strategy that will have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of dedicated staff, many of whom have worked at GCU for years.

"Furthermore, it will inevitably lead to a decline in the academic provision, research capacity, and overall student experience at the University.

"We urge GCU to step back from this path and engage meaningfully with the EIS ULA to secure a no compulsory redundancy guarantee."

Naveed Hakeem, EIS-ULA branch convener at GCU, said: "Following the announcement on March 2 that the University is seeking to cut 100 jobs, senior management at GCU have still failed to rule out the threat of compulsory redundancies.

"This is despite the cash reserves of GCU projected to reach a staggering £94 million by the end of this financial year, proportionally the second largest reserves in the Scottish HE sector.

"The EIS-ULA branch at GCU has been clear with management – there are viable alternatives, the University has the financial resilience to adopt a phased stabilisation approach that allows time for recruitment trends and regulatory developments to become clearer before implementing irreversible structural changes to the workforce that will compromise the role of GCU in Scottish Higher Education.

"During this period, the threat of compulsory redundancies must be withdrawn."

The union continues to stress its openness to negotiation but has made clear that industrial action will be taken if necessary to defend its members and the integrity of GCU.

A spokesperson for the University said: “GCU has seen a £33m drop in its income over a two year period and is facing a projected £10m deficit in the year ahead unless action is taken.

"We have recently concluded a formal consultation process with our staff and trade unions and are considering all proposals submitted. 

"We are committed to working together to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the University, provide a high quality student experience and continue to benefit Glasgow. 

"We appreciate that this is an unsettling time for our University community and are providing support for those who may be directly affected.”