Scottish University Staff Strike Over Pay

Workers at the University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, and Edinburgh Napier University, represented by Unite the Union, are undertaking strike action over a pay dispute. Approximately 1,000 non-academic staff members are involved, protesting a 1.4% pay offer for the 2025/26 financial year, which Unite the Union considers a 'massive real terms pay cut' given the 3.6% RPI inflation rate. The union is demanding a pay rise of at least RPI plus 3% or £3,000, whichever is greater, and a minimum hourly rate of £15. This industrial action follows years of below-inflation pay rises, with university pay reportedly falling by 30% in real terms since 2010. University spokesmen have expressed regret over the strikes and are working to minimize disruption while acknowledging significant financial pressures.