ABOUT 1,000 Unite members across three Scottish universities have taken strike action to fight imposed pay cuts.

The strike at Glasgow, Strathclyde and Edinburgh Napier campuses comes after the decision by negotiating body UK Universities to impose a pay uplift of just 1.4 per cent on non-academic workers such as security staff, cleaners, technicians, and administrators — well below the 3.6 per cent RPI inflation rate and a real-terms cut.

Unite has demanded a pay rise of at least RPI plus 3 per cent or £3,000 — whichever is greater — by August not only to negate the latest cut, but to reverse years of pay erosion which has seen the workers’ wages shrink by 30 per cent in real terms since 2010.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “University workers deserve far better than a real-terms pay cut after over a decade of below-inflation pay rises.

“They are faced with rising energy, household, transport and food costs while their wages are being slashed.”

“University employers should be ashamed of treating hard-working staff in this way.”

Unite’s lead officer for higher education Alison MacLean added: “Last year, university staff had one of the worst ever pay awards imposed upon them which is why our members have no option but to fight back.

“Our members will simply not accept another derisory pay award.”
A spokesman for Glasgow University said “we regret Unite is taking industrial action,” while a spokesman for the University of Strathclyde said: “We recognise the importance of job security and are continuing to work with our trade unions while taking steps to minimise disruption to students.”

Edinburgh Napier University was contacted for comment.