Lecturers at four major Scottish universities have begun voting on potential strike action in a series of escalating disputes over budget cuts and the threat of compulsory job losses. The ballots, organised by the University and College Union (UCU), cover staff at the University of Aberdeen, the University of Stirling, Heriot-Watt University, and the University of Strathclyde.
Ballots Open Amid Refusal to Rule Out Forced Job Cuts
The union has called the votes after senior management at all four institutions refused to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of cost-cutting programmes. UCU members are being asked two questions: whether they support strike action, and whether they are willing to take action short of a strike. This second category can include measures like working strictly to contract, refusing to cover for absent colleagues, boycotting voluntary activities, and implementing marking and assessment boycotts.
If members vote in favour, they will then decide on the specific form and timing of industrial action to pursue their disputes with university employers. The move signals a fresh wave of potential disruption in Scotland's higher education sector, following recent walkouts at the University of Dundee, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
University-Specific Grievances and Proposed Cuts
The disputes, while separate, share a common theme of deep financial pressures and proposed staff reductions:
At the University of Aberdeen, 40 staff have already left voluntarily under its 'Adapting for Continued Success' programme, but the university has not committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies. A spokesperson stated the ballot was "disappointing" as the university is still in an "engagement and planning phase."
Heriot-Watt University is planning to cut at least 41 jobs in Scotland and 10 at its Malaysia campus, with management refusing to rule out compulsory exits. The university said it remained committed to "constructive dialogue" and noted significant interest in its voluntary leaver scheme.
The University of Stirling has seen 175 staff leave voluntarily in recent months, yet further cuts—potentially including compulsory redundancies—are planned. The UCU highlighted that this jars with principal Gerry McCormac recently becoming the highest-paid university principal in the country.
University of Strathclyde aims to make savings of £35 million and plans to cut 76 jobs. The UCU is demanding meaningful consultation on the changes. A university spokesman said it was "proactively reshaping our finances" and had been consulting unions regularly.
Union Condemns "Record" Job Cuts Across Sector
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady criticised university principals for their approach. "We’re just days into the New Year and once again universities across Scotland are facing the possibility of industrial action," she said. Grady urged principals to "listen to their staff and commit to ruling out compulsory redundancies before these disputes escalate into strikes with resulting disruption to students."
The Scottish Government, while noting universities are autonomous, stated that compulsory redundancies "should only be considered as a last resort." A spokesperson pointed to a £1.1 billion investment in the sector this year, but also cited adverse impacts from UK Government immigration policies on international student numbers and an extra £48 million cost from increased employers' national insurance contributions.
All four strike ballots opened on Monday 5 January 2026 and will remain open into February. The University of Strathclyde's ballot closes on 9 February, followed by Heriot-Watt and Aberdeen on 16 February, and Stirling on 17 February. The outcome will determine whether a new phase of industrial action will hit Scottish campuses in the coming months.
