Hundreds of staff ‘overwhelmingly’ back strike action as university plans 700 job cuts
25 April 2025, 13:13
Hundreds of professional services workers at a university have backed industrial action as the university threatens 700 job cuts.
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The affected workers, who include technicians and student support workers, are calling the strike in a fight for jobs and the institution's future, the union said.
Unite said on Friday staff at the University of Dundee had called for strikes, after the employer said there could be up to 700 redundancies as it struggles to deal with a £35 million deficit.
As part of the initial discussions, the union has welcomed the removal of an "immediate" redundancy threat for workers, but warned the possibility of job cuts in future remains "very real".
But the interim principal of the university sent a letter to the Scottish parliament, saying over 700 jobs could be at immediate risk.
The union said it is backing demands for the Scottish Government's external taskforce involving unions and other key stakeholders to implement measures to protect the hundreds of jobs and to sustain the future of the university.
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Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Unite is totally committed to protecting the livelihoods of hundreds of our members at Dundee University.
"Unite will support our members every step of the way in defence of their jobs."
A rally will be held outside the city's Caird Hall on Tuesday, involving trade unionists, community activists, students and university workers.
It will come following an emergency motion on the threat to jobs being tabled by Unite at the STUC annual conference at the venue next week.
A march will assemble at 12pm outside the university's Tower Building, which will join with STUC delegates at 12.30pm outside the Caird Hall.
Katrina Currie, Unite industrial officer, said: "Unite welcomes recent steps to remove an immediate redundancy threat to hundreds of workers.
"The threat to our members' jobs however remains very real.
"We need every tool in defence of jobs and livelihoods which is why this industrial action mandate is vital."
The Scottish Government has provided £22 million in liquidity support to the university.
The news comes after Edinburgh University announced around 350 staff have taken voluntary redundancy.
The university announced it would have to cut £140 million from its budget to plug a black hole earlier this year, with job cuts likely.
A spokesperson for Dundee University said: "We have had notification from Unite of the ballot result and we will wait to hear more from the union on any action.
"We will continue to engage with all of our campus unions as we work towards a financial recovery."
The Scottish Government was contacted for comment.
