Staff at Aberdeen University have started eight days of strike action amid rows over pensions, pay and working conditions.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at 60 institutes across the UK have taken to the picket lines until December 4.
The disputes centre on changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and issues including a failure to improve pay, equality, casualisation and workloads.
UCU Scotland official Mary Senior said: “Strike action is always the last resort, but the universities’ refusal to deal with the key issues of increased pension costs, pay and working conditions leave no alternative.”
Eight universities in Scotland are involved in both disputes: Heriot-Watt, Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews and Strathclyde.
Three institutes – Glasgow Caledonian, Glasgow School of Art and Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University – are only part of the pay and conditions dispute.
The Scottish Association of Marine Science is only in the USS pensions dispute.
Last month, members backed the action in ballots over both pensions and pay and working conditions, with turnouts in Scotland of 56.9% and 56.5% on the respective issues.
More than three-quarters (78%) backed the industrial action over USS changes, while 73% were in favour of strikes in the other dispute.
No agreement was reached with academic institution representatives ahead of the nationwide walkout.
Members will also begin “action short of a strike” on Monday, continuing when they return to work.
This involves acts such as working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues and refusing to reschedule lectures lost to strike action.
