In March this year, senior management at Glasgow Caledonian University announced they will be cutting up to 100 jobs in response to a predicted financial deficit. Some staff have taken voluntary redundancy, lowering the number of cuts to around 50. As a result of unsuccessful negotiations between university management and unions, staff are now taking industrial action over the coming weeks. What does this mean for you? It is much more than ‘a couple of days off’, that’s for sure.
You will have noticed that the strike days have already began. Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland University Lecturers Association (EIS ULA), University and College Union (UCU), and Unison will continue to withdraw their labour across the end of this month and October. UCU members will be striking on the 29th of September and the 1st, 6th, and 8th, of October, and the EIS striking on 11 days confirmed in October. Unless told otherwise, continue to follow your scheduled timetable as not all lecturers are striking.
Whilst the disruption can be frustrating, as students we must understand the long-term impact this will have on both us and the staff. According to The Guardian University Guide 2026, GCU is amongst those universities with the worst staff-to-student ratios in the UK – it will become the worst after the cuts. This is already having a rippling effect on students, with feedback from the National Student Survey outlining concerns with teaching, feedback, and academic support available. These are all issues that will only get worse with these cuts. How are we supposed to cope? How can we expect students to reach their full academic potential with even less staff? How can we expect staff to deliver their full potential when there are an overwhelming number of students that need their help?
It is difficult to fully understand the justification behind these cuts when £4.5 million can be spent on a plot of land at Buchanan House Gate. The university also has £90.7 million in cash reserves. Not only that, but a projected surplus of £5.6 million for the 2025/2026 financial year. Why are jobs still under threat? Why is a plot of land worth more than the people that make GCU?
It is understandable if you are feeling annoyed at the disruption to your studies, however, please understand why strike action is needed. Treat your lecturers with grace if they decide to strike, this is their livelihood at risk of being taken away. They are deeply committed to providing us with the most fulfilling university experience and would much rather continue to work. With that said, also be respectful to those who aren’t participating. Everyone’s situation is different and we must not mistake continuing to work as support for the cuts. We must stand with the staff and fight for them too as without them, there would be no GCU.
Image Credit: @gcustudentsolidarity
