Glasgow Caledonian University staff to be balloted for strike action over job cuts
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Staff at Glasgow Caledonian University are set to be balloted over potential strike action
Staff at Glasgow Caledonian University are to be balloted on strike action. The ballot, which will open on Friday, May 1 and close on Friday, May 22, comes as the university’s Educational Institute of Scotland - University Lecturers' Association (EIS-ULA) branch seeks guarantees that there will be no compulsory redundencies.
It was previously reported that the GCU is seeking to cut up to 100 jobs after posting a £33 million loss of income over two years. The university has blamed a fall in international students. It anticipates a further £10 million loss in the next financial year.
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However, the union said the university holds ‘large financial reserves’.
Naveed Hakeem, EIS-ULA Branch Convener at GCU, said that it is anticipated that GCU will reach cash reserves of £94 million by the end of the financial year.
Mr Hakeem added: “The EIS-ULA branch at GCU has been clear with management - there are viable alternatives, the University has the financial resilience to adopt a phased stabilisation approach that allows time for recruitment trends and regulatory developments to become clearer before implementing irreversible structural changes to the workforce that will compromise the role of GCU in Scottish Higher Education. During this period, the threat of compulsory redundancies must be withdrawn.”
Andrea Bradley, EIS General Secretary, condemned the University’s approach. She said: "It is deeply regrettable that Glasgow Caledonian University has chosen to make this large number of job cuts and pushed staff to the point of balloting for strike action. The threat of redundancies is a short-sighted and damaging strategy that will have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of dedicated staff, many of whom have worked at GCU for years.
“Furthermore, it will inevitably lead to a decline in the academic provision, research capacity, and overall student experience at the University. We urge GCU to step back from this path and engage meaningfully with the EIS-ULA to secure a no compulsory redundancy guarantee."
A voluntary redundancy scheme was opened in March 2026, running until April 15.
The EIS-ULA has called upon management at the university to reconsider its position on planned redundancies and enter into negotiations aimed at ‘achieving a fair resolution to the current dispute’ that safeguards jobs and protects the future of the University.