In a ballot of all Unison members at Glasgow Caledonian, and with a turnout of over 60 percent, an incredible 97% have voted in favour of being balloted on industrial action.

In response to GCU Management plans for devastating cuts at the university, UNISON, the largest trade union at Glasgow Caledonian University representing both academics and support staff, conducted a consultative ballot of members this week. The ballot asked members if they were in favour of being balloted on industrial action – with 97 per cent voting in favour of the move.

This action follows an announcement byManagement last month of plans to cut 95 jobs, a move which staff say will hit the most vulnerable students hardest. But union officials are still hopeful that a dispute can be avoided and are urging university bosses to withdraw the threat of compulsory redundancies and to think twice about implementing such devastating cuts.

Davena Rankin, branch secretary of UNISON’s Glasgow Caledonian branch, said:

“Our members are very angry about these cuts and the ballot results show the strength of feeling among our members. “However, we’re still hopeful we can avoid a dispute and are urging university bosses to reconsider their decision. “We’ve written to management this week asking them to withdraw the threat of all compulsory redundancies and instead to work with staff and unions to protect our services.”

Last month, staff were given an outline of the cuts and told which jobs would face the axe, with support and administrative staff most at risk. Figures show that the number of support staff at the university has dropped by more than 25 per cent in the last five years. This is in stark contrast to the rise in higher paid staff at the university which has trebled in the same period. UNISON is the first union to receive the results of its consultative ballot, with other unions balloting members over