More strikes are being planned at UK universities, in a sign of the worsening jobs crisis hitting the sector.

University and College Union (UCU) members at the University of Dundee have voted in favour of taking further industrial action, following three weeks of strikes in February. 

Dundee has found itself in particular trouble after the university announced it was looking to cut 632 jobs in response to a £35 million deficit. While its job savings target has since been cut, and the institution has seen its former vice-chancellor Iain Gillespie resign, questions remain over its interim leadership team, UCU Scotland said.

Some 72 per cent of union members backed further strike action on a turnout of 58 per cent in response to the university’s restructure programme. A further 90 per cent said that they would be willing to take part in action short of strike, which could include working to contract and not covering for any absent colleagues.

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Melissa D’Ascenzio, branch co-president, said that “successive leaderships” at Dundee have “failed to find a sustainable way forward” for the university amid its financial crisis.

“This renewed mandate and the overwhelming nature of the ‘yes’ vote shows that staff are as determined as ever to defend the university, and to ensure the university’s long-term future and protect jobs,” she said.

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A university spokesperson said it was “disappointed” that the branch had voted to strike. “We will continue to engage with all campus unions as we work with the Scottish Funding Council and Scottish government to secure a sustainable future for the university,” they said.

Elsewhere in Scotland, UCU members at the University of the West of Scotland have backed strike action over plans to cut 72.5 jobs, with 78 per cent of members voting for industrial action on a turnout of 62 per cent. A further 84 per cent voted for action short of strike.

A university spokesperson said it was “committed to mitigating the impact on staff”, and said the majority of savings would be delivered through “stringent vacancy management”. 

The cuts come after UWS saw its funded places fall from 12,735 last year to 10,850.

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“We have been very clear that compulsory redundancies would be a last resort, and there are no proposed compulsory redundancies on the table,” the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, staff at Nottingham’s UCU voted to reject an offer by the university to take compulsory redundancies off the table until February, which would have seen its current strike, which started in September, brought to an end.

The union wants compulsory redundancies taken off the table entirely, and 91 per cent of members at a “well-attended” union meeting last week voted to reject the offer, meaning strike action will continue. It is expected to last until 24 October, unless a deal is reached with the university.

A university spokesperson said: “While we respect our employees’ right to take industrial action, we are disappointed that the UCU has rejected our offer and has indicated that its members will continue as planned with further action.

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“We are committed to minimising any disruption to our students and our research that may occur, and we have procedures in place for this.”

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com