Union members at the under-fire University of Dundee have announced plans to go on strike for five weeks over concerns about job losses.

The University and College Union (UCU) branch will begin the walkout at the start of the next academic year, causing disruption for new and returning students.

Dundee has been at the heart of a political storm after it announced a £35 million deficit in 2024, resulting in the resignation of the university’s vice-chancellor and accusations of financial mismanagement.

Since then, 815 jobs have been lost, according to the UCU, with the institution recently announcing plans to cut a further 200 roles.

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The UCU branch has now announced that it will take 25 days of strike action between 21 September and 23 October.

The union said it will also lobby its university court – the governing body of the university – over the planned cuts, calling for senior management to rule out compulsory redundancies.

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Ian Ellis, co-president of the Dundee University UCU branch, said the strike action will “have a real impact for the students starting their studies here”.

“Absolutely no one wants to take strike action, and the impact on students is hugely regretful, but the fact is that another 200 staff members facing redundancy, on top of the over 800 who have already gone, will have a bigger impact on the university and on our students and their education than anything else imaginable.”

He added that the deficit that started “this catalogue of failure” was “the fault of the university executive and court, and the inability to find a solution to this crisis that doesn’t wholly impact on staff, who have done absolutely nothing wrong, simply signifies yet another failure of management”.

“Government ministers are right to call out the lack of engagement with trade unions and staff,” added Ellis, referencing concerns raised by Màiri McAllan, who became education secretary after the Scottish National Party was re-elected in May.

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“We want to be part of the solution to this crisis, but willingness to open and genuine engagement is a prerequisite for that.”

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, said that almost 80 per cent of union members backed the action.

“Staff have shown time after time that they’re prepared to defend jobs. The Scottish government has rightly been critical of the lack of engagement from the university. Senior management at Dundee need to listen to their staff and students, and find a solution to this crisis that saves jobs and guarantees the university’s future.”

A spokesperson for Dundee said they were “disappointed by UCU’s decision to take industrial action, especially over such a long period”.

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“We are particularly disappointed that UCU has decided to attempt to disrupt the life of the university when our students are looking forward to a new academic term, and we call on them to suspend this action.

“This remains a profoundly difficult time for members of our community. While we recognise the right to strike, this action will do nothing to help build a sustainable future for the university.

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“Most staff will be working as normal across the university and we expect most classes and student contact time to proceed as normal. We will do all we can to mitigate the impacts on our students and ensure as little disruption to their studies as possible.”

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com