Created on: 10 Nov 2025
The EIS ULA has announced the successful conclusion of its long-running dispute with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) after the University formally committed to a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies for academic staff.
The resolution brings an end to the period of industrial action, which saw dedicated EIS members take eight days of strike action across UWS campuses in a resolute defence of job security and the quality of education.
The EIS views this outcome as a clear victory achieved through the collective strength and determination of its membership.
The dispute centred on UWS's proposed Organisational Change Project, which initially placed a considerable number of academic and academic-related posts at risk. EIS ULA members took sustained strike action over September and October, impacting teaching and operations across the university’s sites.
This robust industrial action, backed by overwhelming member support, successfully pressured university management to return to the negotiating table and ultimately withdraw the threat of compulsory job losses, instead relying on voluntary measures and vacancy management to achieve savings.
EIS General Secretary, Andrea Bradley, commented on the positive resolution, acknowledging the sacrifice made by staff and validating the union’s strategy, "It is incredibly encouraging that, through constructive dialogue, the University of the West of Scotland has finally agreed to remove the threat of compulsory redundancies.
"This positive development has come directly after eight days of hard-fought strike action taken by our EIS ULA members at the University. The decision to strike is never one taken lightly but was a necessary last resort in this long-running dispute, and the outcome proves the immense value of collective action."
Ms Bradley continued, "The EIS is committed to fighting any threat of compulsory redundancy in any educational setting. We want this hard-won resolution to send a clear message to every other university in Scotland: if you attempt to manage financial challenges by threatening the jobs of dedicated academic and academic related staff, you will face the same unified industrial action.
"Our members are resilient, as proven by these eight days of striking, and the EIS is confident we will secure a similar, successful result in any future dispute."
As a result of the agreed resolution, the EIS has suspended all planned future strike action at the University. This resolution ensures stability for UWS staff, protects the quality of the student learning experience, and sets a strong precedent that academic jobs cannot be cut unilaterally.
The union looks forward to working collaboratively with UWS management to focus on the long-term sustainability and academic integrity of the institution, without the shadow of forced job cuts looming over its dedicated workforce.