BALLOTS open today for lecturers at four Scottish universities over possible strike action against proposed budget cuts and job losses.

University and College Union (UCU) members at Aberdeen, Stirling, Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde universities are being asked whether they support strike action.

The union said that senior management at all four universities has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies as part of their attempts to cut costs.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “We’re just days into the new year and once again universities across Scotland are facing the possibility of industrial action to defend jobs and force university principals to rule out compulsory redundancies.

“With a record number of jobs being cut across Scottish universities, the principals at Stirling and Heriot-Watt and those at Strathclyde and Aberdeen need to listen to their staff and commit to ruling out compulsory redundancies before these disputes escalate into strikes with resulting disruption to students.”

The threat of industrial action comes after recent walkouts over similar disputes at the University of Dundee, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).

The universities expressed disappointment that the UCU is balloting while they claim talks are still taking place.

The Scottish government said that while universities are autonomous institutions, it expected them to engage constructively with trade unions to seek a resolution to disputes, in line with Fair Work principles.

All four strike ballots will remain open into February, with Strathclyde’s ballot closing on February 9, followed by Heriot-Watt and Aberdeen on February 16 and Stirling on February 17.