Striking Glasgow Caledonian staff enjoyed a warm welcome from officers of the GCU Students association, and from the students present during their two hours extended ‘Bistro break’ in the students association building.

Staff from all three Schools, central services and the Yunus institute took advantage of the two hours to discuss their respective experiences working at GCU before a short update of the situation was given by branch president Douglas Chalmers.

There was a general feeling of disappointment that unlike other universities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, our university was suggesting that it would treat our legally constituted two hour strike as ‘partial performance’ and would dock a days pay from staff.

Pointing out that as was accepted elsewhere, our strike was not partial performance, and that staff would be back working normally after the strike  as they had in the period up to 11am, Douglas Chalmers expressed surprise that our university seemed to be getting different legal advice than that obtained by others, and expressed the hope that nevertheless they would reconsider their position.

“These things are never set in stone” said Douglas “It’s the students that will be hit the most if industrial action is escalated here due to what is perceived as an un-necessary ramping up of this dispute. After all – the dispute is about the concept of fair pay in universities – something that all members of the university community should feel strongly about and work together to achieve. Other universities have made a different decision in terms of their handling of the dispute. Surely it is not too late for Glasgow Caledonian to do this – something that staff would see positively.”

Messages of support were received from Unison, EIS and Unite – all of whom are joining with UCU in the next full day of industrial action on February 6th.