Union warns of student safety concerns as 72-hour action set to start

Joiners employed by the University of Edinburgh are set to strike for 72-hours starting on Friday (23 June) in a long-running dispute over pay.

Around a dozen estates department workers who are members of Unite previously voted for strike action by 100 per cent over the failure by University management to address pay disparities on campus. 

The trade union is highlighting that joiners, despite undertaking a four-year apprenticeship, are paid around £2,000 a year less than locksmiths who undertake training for two weeks. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The joiners at the University of Edinburgh fully deserve pay parity with other tradespersons on campus. Unite’s members provide skilled and vital work which keeps students safe in the event they are locked out their accommodation. We will support them all in the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”  

A series of stoppages will take place throughout June and July with the first beginning at 8am on Friday (23 June) and continuing up to 26 June when the action concludes at 7:59am (see notes to editor).

Unite is drawing attention to the joiners being available around the clock through providing an out of hours service which is critical to safety on campus in the event students have problems accessing their accommodation during the night.

The trade union can also confirm that previous rounds of strike action planned for May were suspended as a gesture of ‘goodwill’ to allow talks to occur with management. These talks have not resulted in any resolution of the dispute.

Pat Egan, Unite industrial officer, said: “University management have failed to address this long-standing pay disparity. Joiners are being paid around £2,000 a year less than locksmiths which is totally unacceptable. This why our members voted by 100% to take strike action. 

We suspended previous rounds of strike action as a gesture of goodwill to allow talks to happen. But there’s been no progress which is why a series of stoppages will now take place during June and July. It will soon become abundantly clear how important the services our members provide are to safety on campus.” 

 ENDS

Full details of industrial action:

Commencing at 08:00 hours on 23rd June 2023 and continuing each day up to 26th June 2023 when the action concludes at 07:59 hours; 

Commencing at 08:00 hours on 30th June 2023 and continuing each day up to 3rd July 2023 when the action concludes at 07:59 hours; 

Commencing at 08:00 hours on 7th July 2023 and continuing each day up to 10th July 2023 when the action concludes at 07:59 hours; 

Commencing at 08:00 hours on 14th July 2023 and continuing up to 17th July 2023 when the action concludes at 07:59 hours ‘