The University of Stirling has become the third university this week to face the threat of strikes after lecturers backed industrial action in a row about job cuts and compulsory redundancies. University and College Union (UCU) members voted 80% in favour of strike action on a turnout of 66%, with 88% supporting action short of a strike, such as not covering for absent colleagues or a marking boycott.
The dispute centres on the university's planned financial cuts, with the UCU saying it has so far refused to rule out compulsory redundancies despite 175 staff having already left through a voluntary severance scheme. The union also questioned why jobs were at risk when university principal Professor Sir Gerry McCormac became Scotland's highest-paid education boss last year, with a salary worth £428,000 a year including benefits.
A Stirling UCU branch spokesperson urged Professor McCormac and senior management to 'pull back from the brink' and prioritise job protection, stating: 'If the university can afford to pay its principal well over £400,000 a year, then we can absolutely afford to protect the jobs of the staff.' The announcement follows similar strike votes at Heriot-Watt and Aberdeen universities over cuts and possible compulsory redundancies.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady called on management at all three universities to rule out compulsory redundancies, saying: 'Professor Sir Gerry McCormac will enjoy his retirement with a healthy pension while staff face job insecurity.' A University of Stirling spokesperson expressed disappointment at the ballot outcome, while representatives from Aberdeen and Heriot-Watt cited financial pressures as necessitating change.
