Wednesday April 22nd 2026
Queen Margaret University
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
University and College Union (UCU) members at Queen Margaret University are being balloted from today for strike action over job losses and issues with working conditions.
This comes after senior management at the University announced intentions to seek savings of £4 million from staffing costs across 2026/27 and 2027/28, this included the potential for compulsory redundancies
Staff at QMU are being asked if they are willing to take strike action and action short of strike against cuts to the staffing budget and apparent employer refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies.
The ballot will run until 21 May and the action short of strike aims to include working to contract and not covering for absent colleagues.
The plans for industrial action is similar to what is being seen across Scotland with all other Edinburgh Universities having previously striked this year and last, leaving QMU the last in the capital to do so.
UCU have asked QMU management to rule out using compulsory redundancies but they explained that university management have so far refused to do so.
As well as job cuts, senior managers at the university are also planning to bring in proposals to cut research at the university, potentially ‘affecting the universities reputation’. The union said that cutting research time will ‘call into question the university’s ability to provide students with research-led teaching which is accepted as the gold standard across higher education’.
UCU QMU branch co-president, Judith Lane, described the possible compulsory redundancies as a ‘three part attack on staff ‘, explaining that ‘job cuts, possible compulsory redundancies, and cuts to research time is simply unacceptable and brings into question the reputation, future and very purpose of our university’.
She added: “Despite this, it’s not too late to avoid strikes and the disruption this will cause for students. The very last thing staff want to do is to go on strike but every indication from members is that they’re angry at what management is proposing and will back industrial action to save jobs, research and the quality of education offered to students at QMU.”
The union has said that they want to work with the university management to look for alternative savings that don’t fall on staff.
In a statement shared with Midlothian View, Queen Margaret University explained that their overall costs continue to rise at a faster pace, despite being ‘successful in growing and diversifying income in recent years, and in attracting student applications’.
The statement also explained: “As part of a carefully considered programme of work to protect our long-term financial sustainability, including extended implementation of a voluntary severance scheme, we are currently considering staff feedback on proposals designed to rebalance the allocation of academic staff time on various activities, and the policies and procedures surrounding that.
Adding: “We are committed to ensuring that all consultation with trade unions and staff is genuine and meaningful and can reassure current and prospective students that the proposed changes would not affect the student experience.”
These issues with rising costs come at a time where universities across the country are facing similar issues, despite QMU recently seeing great success in their venture with East Lothian Council of The Edinburgh Innovation Hub.
In line with the up-coming Scottish election next month, UCU general secretary Jo Grady used the redundancy issues at QMU as an opportunity to call out the Scottish Government, explaining that it’s time for them to show leadership and stop the crisis in the nation’s universities.
Jo Grady added: “With only weeks to go before Scotland votes in the elections, we’re calling on all candidates and politicians to end the jobs crisis, fully fund Scottish higher education and provide emergency financial support to protect jobs.”
The QMU cuts come after staff have already left employment voluntarily, meaning higher workloads for the staff who remain at the university and their conditions worsening.
Tweet Share on Facebook
