Strike dates announced at Robert Gordon University

Lecturers at Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen are to strike in a dispute over staff cuts and redundancies.

The EIS union said that after a staff vote an initial day of strike action was now set for 15 April.

It will be followed by further strikes on 1 May and 7 May, with additional action planned for the week of 8-12 September.

RGU announced in November that 135 further redundancies could be made after 130 staff left through a voluntary severance scheme last year.

The university told BBC Scotland News it now expected to scale back the maximum further redundancies to 60, and that figure might be reduced further due to redeployment.

The EIS said 83% of those who voted backed strike action.

The union's general secretary Andrea Bradley said: "Any move to strike action is taken as a last resort.

"But our members at Robert Gordon have been left with no alternative as they seek to fend off the university's cuts agenda.

"The EIS again offers the university the opportunity to bring this dispute to an end by halting its programme of cuts and ruling out compulsory redundancies."

RGU said redundancies were to ensure the "long-term financial sustainability" of the university.

Professor Steve Olivier, principal and vice-chancellor, previously expressed disappointment that EIS members had decided to vote for strike action.