Edinburgh University cuts dispute: Scottish Government could try to bring two sides together
Higher Education Minister Ben Macpherson has indicated the Scottish Government could try to bring together the two sides in the dispute over cuts and job losses at Edinburgh University.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) have been taking part in a three-day strike this week in protest at £140million of cuts and job losses which the union says could run to 1,800 and include possible compulsory redundancies.
Labour MSP Martin Whitfield raised the dispute in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, asking what action the Scottish Government would take to protect staff and students from the impact of redundancies.
Mr Macpherson noted that the university sector across the UK faced financial challenges.
And he continued: "The University of Edinburgh is an autonomous institution, but the Scottish Government expects staff and trade unions to be consulted meaningfully and constructively on the potential impact of any cost-saving measures in line with fair work principles.
“Ministers cannot compel universities to commit to no compulsory redundancies, but our clear expectation is that they are considered only as a last resort after all other cost-saving measures have been fully explored."
Mr Whitfield said students were already seeing the impact of those cuts. "Courses are being reduced, support services are being scaled back, and staff do not know whether they will be employed next year."
He asked if the minister agreed the government’s "convening power" should be used to bring the parties together to ensure that students were not the ones who paid the price for decisions driven by underfunding and financial instability.
Mr Macpherson said: "Ministers will consider how we can assist meaningfully in this situation, including, potentially, using our convening power, while being mindful of the fact that the University of Edinburgh is an autonomous institution.
"I had a good meeting with representatives from the UCU on a number of matters recently, and I would be happy to receive further correspondence from it on the matter."