Staff at two of Edinburgh’s universities will strike again today, as the UK-wide row over staff pensions and pay cuts rumbles on.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will be on picket lines at 8am at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University to protest the “decimation of pension schemes” and “a second consecutive real-terms pay cut and lack of job security".

This industrial action forms part of the first UK-wide strike in universities for five years. Thursday March 17 was the beginning of the rolling action across the nation, which saw picket lines of staff and students circling institutions in Edinburgh.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “Strike action is always a last resort but the attacks on pay and jobs have created real anger and, instead of burying their heads in the sand, the employers need to respond urgently to our concerns. University staff really value their pension rights and those in the USS scheme in Scotland have made their views of the detrimental changes crystal clear.

“Staff are sick to the back teeth of being told that their pay and pensions need to be cut to pay for an economic crisis created by others.”

A spokesman for the University of Edinburgh commented: “We hope that agreement can be reached through the joint negotiating committee of the Universities Superannuation Scheme. In the meantime, we are doing all we can to ensure that our students are not affected by the planned strikes."

A spokeswoman for Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh added: “The University has been advised that members of the UCU may choose to participate in strike action on March 24 as part of a national campaign related to the USS pension scheme.

“Our key operational priority will be to ensure provision of as normal a service as possible, and where disruption is unavoidable to ensure that all measures are taken to support students who may be affected.”

The union has received the support of the National Union of Students, despite likely disruption to their members’ studies.

Industrial action and walk-outs are expected at 63 universities across the UK.