Dundee University staff vote for strike action

Members of the Unite union at Dundee University have backed strike action as the institution tackles a financial crisis that has put up to 700 jobs at risk.

The university faces a £35m deficit and previously announced that hundreds of positions would be cut.

It is understood that union members voted 70 to 31 in favour of strike action, with a turnout of almost 61%.

Unite said it would support its members "every step of the way in defence of their jobs," while the university said it would wait to hear from the union about any potential strike action.

The union said a rally and march involving trade unionists, community activists, students and workers would take place in Dundee City Centre on Tuesday.

Katrina Currie, Unite industrial officer, said: "We need every tool in defence of jobs and livelihoods which is why this industrial action mandate is vital."

A Dundee University spokesman said: "We have had notification from Unite of the ballot result and we will wait to hear more from the union on any action.

"We will continue to engage with all of our campus unions as we work towards a financial recovery."

Staff were informed of plans to cut 632 posts - about 20% of the workforce - by interim principal Shane O'Neill at a meeting last month.

However, in a subsequent letter to Holyrood's education committee, Prof O'Neill said the figure could be as high as 700 posts.

Dundee University currently employs 3,259 people on a full-time basis, with 271 jobs currently unfilled.

Former Dundee University principal Alan Langlands was recently announced as the chairman of a new taskforce set up to help the university.

The taskforce comprises a group of experts from academia, industry and local and national government who will "advise on the future success" of the university.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC), an arms-length body of the Scottish government, recently approved a £22m support package for Dundee University.

It said the package would be a mix of low-cost loans and capital grant.

The SFC has also launched an independent investigation into the reasons for the "deterioration" in the institution's finances and will attempt to understand "how this came as a surprise to the university leadership".

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) Scotland carried out a three-week strike at the university in February.