Aberdeen University lecturers will mount picket lines today in a dispute over pensions.
Action will be taken by the Universities and College Union at 65 universities across the UK, with 14 days of strikes spread over four weeks planned.
This month staff will be striking on February 22, 23, 26, 27 and 28 with unions claiming that a lecturer would lose pension entitlements of around £10,000 a year.
But the Universities UK (UUK) body said the changes were needed to balance the books in the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).
Derek Dawson, Aberdeen UCU spokesman, said: “The proposal to drastically cut staff pensions is unnecessary. The universities’ negotiators have refused to engage with UCU and the failure to do so is an insult to both staff and to students.
“No-one wants this dispute but the way to resolve it is for the principals to get their representatives back round the negotiating table.”
A university spokeswoman said: “We understand that the proposals outlined by USS, which will now be the subject of a statutory consultation period commencing in March, would impact on pension benefits but equally it is necessary to take steps to ensure the Scheme remains affordable for both staff and employers.
“We cannot condone strike action designed to cause disruption to our students and we will appeal to staff to be cautious in their support for this approach. We will take whatever reasonable steps we can to ensure the University remains open for business as normal during this period.”
