Strike action at the University of Edinburgh has been suspended following months of industrial action, however unions have stressed that the underlying dispute remains unresolved.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted to pause further strikes after the university agreed to halt redundancies for this academic year.
The action follows nine days of strike activity earlier this year, with staff protesting over proposed budget cuts of around £140 million. .
Under the agreement, the university has committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies until April 2026. It has also agreed to run a voluntary severance scheme, freeze most external recruitment and engage in further consultation with unions over future financial decisions.
The suspension of strike action will remain in place until at next spring, provided the university adheres to the terms of the agreement. It was said that the university’s offer was was “narrowly” accepted by UCU members.
The news came as UCU members at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) voted to end their own dispute over compulsory redundancies, which had been running since August.
They had previously walked out for two days in October.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady welcomed both developments, but warned the dispute at the University of Edinburgh is “far from over”.
She said: “It is heartening to see the progress made in both universities, to get concrete wins for members and to improve job security.
“It is clear that in Edinburgh the battle is far from over, and that members remain suspicious of their employer and need to be convinced that the employer is committed to working with UCU in the best interests of staff, students and education at the university.
“UCU is also clear that Edinburgh University does not need to make the level of cuts planned, but there are benefits to be had by sitting round the table with the employer in the next couple of months negotiating to get a better deal for workers.
“Members should have confidence in their local negotiators in the knowledge that the branch does have a strong mandate for further strike action or even a marking and assessment boycott, should the employer back-track on its side of this deal.
“I want to congratulate members and our local negotiators at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
“Through their action and skilled negotiations, they have secured greater job security for members locally, along with commitments to important joint work with UCU to address excessive workload and staff morale.”
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said: “We welcome the decision by UCU Edinburgh members to accept our offer, which will ensure no further industrial action is taken throughout the mandate period, up to April 28.
“This agreement brings stability for our students and staff, safeguarding teaching, assessments and research from disruption.
“As financial pressures across the sector persist, we remain committed to taking the steps necessary to secure the long-term future of the university.”
A UHI spokesperson said: “The university will continue to engage constructively with the UHI UCU branch on a range of issues that have been raised.
“While the higher education sector is currently facing significant challenges, UHI remains committed to working with the trade union in support of colleagues.”
