LECTURERS at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland began a two-day strike today in the latest walkouts in their long-running dispute against compulsory redundancies.

The dispute at the university, in Edinburgh, has so far seen 12 days of strike action since March against the cuts to its Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies (LINCS) and Scholar programme.  

But workers delivered a fresh 12-month mandate for strike action last month amid anger that bosses were progressing plans for compulsory redundancies despite a June deal to rule the option out in LINCS.

UCU Heriot-Watt branch president Kate Sang said: “The ballot result last month showed that members of the branch remain determined to defend jobs, including by striking if necessary.  

“Throughout this dispute we’ve been willing to engage with management and try and find a negotiated settlement which means that no-one is forced out of their job, but management have been unwilling to bring the dispute to an end.

“No-one wants to be on strike, particularly at a time we should be welcoming new and returning students to the university but these strikes are going ahead today and tomorrow because of the failure of management to rule out compulsory redundancies.”

UCU general secretary Jo Grady urged Professor Nola Hewitt-Dundas, who took up post as principal just two weeks ago, to take a fresh approach to the dispute.

She said: “Professor Hewitt-Dundas should seize the opportunity that being new in post gives for resetting industrial relations at Heriot-Watt.  

“After six months and almost three weeks of strikes, she has an opportunity to finally rule out compulsory redundancies and end this dispute.”

A Heriot-Watt University spokesperson said: “Following a review of our programme portfolio and related resourcing, the university’s focus remains on achieving fewer than five full-time equivalent staff reductions through redeployment and voluntary means wherever possible, while not removing the potential for compulsory redundancy if necessary.  

“Like universities across the sector, we are operating in a challenging financial environment. Heriot-Watt is taking a measured, evidence-based approach to ensure our resources are aligned with an academically strong, relevant and sustainable portfolio, while enabling investment in areas of growing student demand.”