Glasgow universities prepare for wave of disruption

Students at two leading Glasgow universities are preparing to suffer serious disruption to teaching after academics elected to hold a “sustained campaign of industrial action” over cuts to pensions.

University and College Union (UCU) members across the UK last month voted in favour of the action which could also culminate in exams being set for students without papers being marked and a complete boycott of assessments.

Over three quarters (77 per cent) of UCU members backed action that could leave nine of Scotland’s largest higher education institutions, including both Glasgow and Strathclyde University, facing disruption from this month onwards.

Action under consideration to start the campaign include working-to-contract and working-to-rule. UCU members may also consider setting exams but not marking them and, if required, escalating the action to include a full assessment boycott.

The ballot for action came in the wake of proposed changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), whose members are mainly academics and senior administrators in pre-1992 institutions. UCU claims pension changes will leave new staff up to £120,000 worse off.

Sally Hunt, the UCU general secretary, said: “These changes have been imposed without the agreement of staff, and our vote shows members are determined to defend their pension rights.

“Despite a taxpayer-funded campaign of misinformation, staff know that the imposition of these detrimental changes are wholly unnecessary.

“Industrial action is always a last resort for educators and we will work closely with students to minimise problems where possible. However, the nature of any industrial dispute means disruption and there will be widespread and sustained industrial action unless USS is prepared to return to the negotiating table.”

The University of Aberdeen, the University of Dundee, the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, the University of St Andrews, the University of Stirling, and the Open University in Scotland are the seven other Scots higher education institutions preparing to face disruption in the next few weeks.