University of Dundee staff begin five-week strike demanding end to compulsory redundancies
Staff of the University of Dundee have started a weekday walkout that will run until October 23, insisting the university rule out forced job cuts.
The University of Dundee entered a five-week strike on Monday, with staff walking out every weekday until October 23 and refusing to backfill absent colleagues. Union leaders say the protest aims to force senior management to eliminate compulsory redundancies, arguing that saved wages and recent Scottish Government funding are sufficient. They caution that the dispute may expand into a marking and assessment boycott, harming students at the start of term.
The university disclosed an unexpected £30 million deficit in November 2024 and has already removed 815 jobs, with plans for an additional 200 cuts announced in June. Ian Ellis, co-president of the Dundee UCU branch, blamed management for the strike, while UCU general secretary Jo Grady called the situation a governance failure and urged ministers to intervene. A Scottish Government spokesperson said the dispute is not in anyone’s interest but declined to intervene directly.
Why it matters
The strike threatens student assessments and highlights growing financial strain in UK higher education.
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