Labour Morning Star
UCU launches strike ballot at Aberdeen University
A STRIKE ballot at the University of Aberdeen has been launched over job cuts and the sacking of a long-standing union rep. The dispute kicked off in May, when management refused to rule out compulsor
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The dispute kicked off in May, when management refused to rule out compulsory redundancies to achieve its plan to save £12 million by axing 111 full-time equivalent jobs.
Negotiations between bosses and the University College Union (UCU), however, broke down when rep Professor David Anderson was sacked after 27 years’ service.
UCU Aberdeen branch president Dan Cutts warned that the union “won’t stand to see any member of the branch, let alone a long-standing UCU rep with an outstanding record as an academic, subject to what looks like it could be victimisation.”
The union’s general secretary, Jo Grady, slammed management for failing to “engage properly with the union.”
“Instead, they are pressing on with planned job cuts and stand accused of victimising a long-standing union rep,” she said.
“We won’t accept that and I’m calling on every UCU member to vote ‘yes’ in this ballot to make this great university a better place to work and study.”
A University spokesperson said: “We are committed to maintaining a positive and constructive relationship with our campus trade unions and have engaged with and acted upon various topics raised in recent months, including progressing our academic promotions process.
“Belonging to and being active in a trade union is a recognised, respected and protected right that the University upholds. We are unable to comment on individual staffing matters, which are confidential.”