Support staff at the University of Edinburgh will vote on strike action in a row over job cuts, says UNISON
University workers, including cleaners, student welfare officers and IT staff, overwhelmingly backed a formal ballot for industrial action, following a consultation that closed today.
Over three quarters (78%) say they supported a formal ballot.
UNISON says it will launch the process next week unless the university rules out compulsory redundancies and gives assurances that no services will be privatised as part of plans to cut £140m from its budget.
UNISON University of Edinburgh branch secretary June Maguire said: “The university should be using the billions it has in assets to protect staff, not sack them. Hard-working support staff should not get the brunt of cuts,.
“Cutting jobs is a false economy, which risks damaging the student experience and harming the institution’s reputation.
“The impact of job losses is felt way beyond campus. Universities are hugely important to local economies, creating jobs, supporting businesses and attracting investment to the area.”
Notes to editors:
– The consultative ballot of University of Edinburgh UNISON members closed earlier today (Friday). A total of 77.8% voted for strike action and 93.9% for action short of strike
– UNISON is Scotland’s largest union, with more than 150,000 members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, care, police services, water, and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
– The consultative ballot started on Monday 7 April and closed today on Friday 25 April. Members were being asked if they’re willing to take strike action or action short of a strike. A digital consultation is the first step towards a strike and will be followed by a full postal ballot.