Midnight walk out in Glasgow begins UK higher education shut down

Wed 30 October 2013

A midnight walk out by security guards at Glasgow Caledonian University will start a day of shutdown of universities and higher education colleges across the UK.

The security guards will be joined by Cinderella, the Ugly Sisters of Corporate Greed and the Fairy Godmother of Decent Pay Rises at 0000hrs 30 October (ie midnight).

This will begin a day of action by unions representing all sectors of the higher education workforce It’s not action that’s being taken lightly but following a 13% decrease in the value of pay over the last four years. the workforce serving our students have had enough. Pay should be at a level which attracts and maintains a happy and motivated workforce. Instead staff are being asked to do more and take home less and less to their families year after year.

Emma Phillips, UNISON regional organiser for higher education said;

“For UNISON, this dispute is about tackling low and decreasing pay. In the last 4 years, the pay of the university staff that we represent has fallen by nearly 15% in real terms. Over 4000 staff working in our universities are paid below the Living Wage. There are people employed by universities facing the choice between eating or heating their home this winter. I find this shocking. Universities can afford to pay decent wages. They should show more respect to all the people who work for them.



Details of local actions/ Pickets/ Rallies:

Glasgow Caledonian University - 12midnight
Walk out of security guards. The security guards will be joined by Cinderella, the Cinderella, the Ugly Sisters of Corporate Greed and the Fairy Godmother of Decent Pay Rises at 0000hr 30th October, 70 Cowcaddens Road. Walk out will go past main gate.
For further info contact Davena Rankin 07901 594158


Glasgow Rally: 12 noon – 1pm, Adelaide’s Baptist Church, Bath Street, Glasgow
Speakers so far: Dave Anderson UCU Scotland President, UNISON, Unite, Dave Moxham STUC Deputy General Secretary, NUS


Edinburgh Rally: 12 noon – 1pm, Bristo Square, Edinburgh Speakers so far: UCU, Unison, Unite, Gordon Maloney NUS Scotland President, Ann Henderson STUC Assistant Secretary


University of Aberdeen
Picket lines: From 8am – 11am - Regent Walk, Hillhead Halls, Library, Foresterhill (Polworth and IMS), College Bounds
Contact: Chris McLeod - c.mcleod@abdn.ac.uk – telephone Grampian Regional Office on (01224) 620624

Robert Gordon UniversityPicket Lines: From 8am – 11am - Garthdee Campus, Riverside East/FoHSC, RGU:Sport, ABS.
Contact: Colin Jones – c.jones@rgu.ac.uk - telephone Grampian Regional Office on (01224) 620624


Glasgow University main gate 7am – 11am

Glasgow School of Art – 7.30am -10.30am

University of West of Scotland – Paisley main entrance 0800-1100
Hamilton main entrance 0800-1100
Ayr 0800-1100

Stirling University Pickets from Unison, Unite and UCU from 0730-1030 at both the front gate and rear gate.

Napier University 7:45 till 10:30
Sigthhill Campus, Bankhead Ave, Edinburgh
Craiglockhart Campus, Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh
Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh
Contact Afshin Dastafshan 07982-120802