University lecturers stage five-day walkout over budget cuts during freshers week
At the University of Edinburgh, a strike started as a five -day strike to protest against a total recommended budget cuts of £ 140 million.
Members of the University and College Association (UCU) are expected to protect the pile lines in various university areas until Friday, September 12th.
A rally is planned in George Square of the city at 12:00 on Monday.
The union said that its members are not a “option”, but after refusing to ignore the compulsory layoffs as part of the university savings driving, it is a movement that could endanger 1,800 work.
His tip also objected to the necessity of these deductions, which are defined as the “largest” so far “in Scottish higher education, and argued that the university is not clear at the moment.
The Union said that the university is “one of the richest of the country ve and that it could reduce capital expenses and building works or withdraw their“ big reserves ”instead of cutting personnel.
In February, Sir Peter Mathieson, a professor of university principal, said that a smaller personnel base and lower operating costs ”should be obtained within 18 months due to an estimating operating deficit.
When the march comes to the campus for the first time, the new students coincides with the university’s “Welcome Week”.
EN Branch President Sophia Woodman said: “Students who came on campus this week and started their university journey should be sure that they will complete their work in a university that preserves their current reputation on excellence and offers the students the support they should do in their studies and studies.
“However, it is impossible to cut 1,800 personnel from any university without serious affecting teaching, research and student experience and damaging the reputation of the university.
“Nobody wants to go on a strike, but the staff alarm about the effect of these cuts.
“The staff is striking because the senior management of this week has no choice but to forcing the interaction to interact again, excluding the use of compulsory layoffs and ending this dispute.”
The action comes after a daily strike on June 20, when members of the end members go out on a university open day.
The short action of a strike such as making a contract, volunteer for tasks and covering its colleagues has been continuing since June 20.
The Secretary General of the End Jo Grady said: “Edinburgh University is a rich institution with large reserves.
“Instead of pressing the university’s personnel at the university, joining the union and eliminating the use of compulsory layoffs, instead of exercises and replacement of work losses.
“Something else is on an unprecedented scale of academic vandalism.”
Last week, the university announced that it launched a new volunteer plan for the staff of senior classes and started a “advanced” pension plan for employees.
In April, it was announced that the “approximately 350” personnel chose to receive voluntary surplus within the scope of a previous plan.
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Director and Vice President of Edinburgh University, said: “In the UK, the higher education sector is faced with serious and urgent financial difficulties and threatens long -term stability.
“We have been transparent in the effect of these pressures on Edinburgh and the steps we have taken to protect our position as a world leader university.
“We respect the right to participate in the industrial action of his colleagues, and we will do everything we can to minimize any deduction to our students and the planned welcome week activities.
“We continue to interact regularly with common unions, staff and students, and we are constantly determined to dialogue while taking the necessary steps to protect the future of our university.”
