Possible strikes at University of Stirling

Staff at the University of Stirling are being balloted over strike action.

Stirling is one of four universities with ballots taking place this month.

UCU Scotland members are considering downing tools over job losses and possible compulsory redundancies.

The local university has had 175 staff members leave voluntarily in recent months, but bosses refuse to rule out forced job cuts in the near future.

The union says its members shouldn't have to worry about job security, while the University of Stirling principal's salary sits at over £400,000 a year.

The University has been approached for comment.

Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: “We’re just days into the New Year and once again universities across Scotland are facing the possibility of industrial action, with members being forced to vote for strike 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, who are starting off their time as principals in the most disappointing way, need to listen to their staff and commit to ruling out compulsory redundancies before these disputes escalate into strikes with resulting disruption to students.”