Edinburgh Queen Margaret University (UCU) Strike Calendar

Members of the union at Queen Margaret University are currently voting on potential strike action related to a dispute concerning jobs, working conditions, and changes in work practices.

The ballot asks staff if they support industrial action, including strikes and action short of a strike, due to proposed cuts to the staffing budget and the employer's refusal to eliminate the possibility of compulsory redundancies.

Action short of a strike could involve working strictly to contract terms and declining to cover for absent colleagues.

The ballot period for this industrial action will close on May 21, 2026.

University leadership has outlined plans to find £4 million in savings from staff costs over the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years.

In addition to job reductions, there are proposals to decrease research funding, which union representatives suggest could undermine the university's commitment to research-led teaching.

The union has expressed a desire to collaborate with management to identify alternative savings that do not negatively impact staff or the university's research standing.

These proposed cuts follow earlier voluntary departures, which have already resulted in increased workloads and poorer conditions for remaining employees.