Edinburgh University faces more strike action as union opens new ballot

Edinburgh University is facing more industrial action as union members have been asked to vote “yes” on a new strike ballot.

The University and College Union (UCU) ballot has been reopened from September 24, as a dispute over £140m cuts and up to 1,800 job losses approaches its eighth month.

Staff strikes already disrupted the start of university terms two weeks ago, with five days of action. Staff also struck for one day in June.

UCU members overwhelmingly backed strike action when they were balloted in May of this year. However, legislation requires trade unions to renew mandates for industrial action every six months.

Staff must now be re-balloted before any further industrial action can take place.

The ongoing dispute follows the university principal Professor Sir Peter Mathieson’s announcement of cuts in February 2025.

He said that the university was looking to make £140m cuts, and that cuts of that magnitude meant that “nothing is off the table”.

Staff have repeatedly called on the university to rule out compulsory redundancies, but so far, bosses have refused.

The union said the university’s failure to rule out compulsory redundancies meant that staff had “no other choice” than to press ahead with a re-ballot.

”It’s remarkable that, some eight months after first announcing the biggest job cuts ever seen in Scottish higher education, the university principal has been slow to meet with unions and to negotiate an end to this dispute,” UCU general secretary, Jo Grady, said.

“It’s time for Professor Mathieson and his senior management team to take their heads out of the sand, meet with the union and rule out the use of compulsory redundancies. The quickest way to force their hand is for UCU members to return their ballot papers and to once again deliver a resounding ‘yes’ vote in the re-ballot.”

The ballot will run from Monday, September 24, to Tuesday, October 28.

Professor Mathieson, Edinburgh University’s principal and vice chancellor, said: “It is well known that the higher education sector across the UK is facing serious and urgent financial challenges, placing its long-term stability under threat.

“We have been transparent about the steps we are taking to maintain our position as a world-leading University, and to continue to deliver excellence in teaching and research in a financially sustainable way.

“We continue to respect colleagues’ right to ballot and to take part in industrial action. We engage regularly with the joint trade unions, staff and our students, and remain firmly committed to ongoing dialogue as we take the necessary steps to safeguard the future of our University.”