SNP minister 'could force' Edinburgh University bosses to negotiate with unions over job threats

Ben Macpherson was put under pressure in Holyrood on Tuesday to say what the Scottish Government would do to mitigate threats to 1,800 jobs at the university.

Three days of strike action started on Monday as members of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) walked out over fears of compulsory redundancies. It is the latest round of industrial action against the backdrop of a “crisis” at the university, where management are making £140 million worth of cuts.

University principal Professor Sir Peter Mathieson warned of “serious and urgent financial challenges” at the Edinburgh institution.

Last week, UCU representatives told The Scotsman staff were under the pressurs of “desperate worry” as they remain in the dark as to the form the cuts might take.

Labour MSP Martin Whitfield used a topical question in the Parliament on Tuesday to ask the higher education minister if he plans to intervene. He told the chamber that students were already seeing the impact of cuts with reduced courses and scaled-back support services.

“Scotland prides itself on world class higher education but that is not what the students are experiencing,” he said.

“Staff are overwhelmingly supporting the ongoing action in a re-ballot and as Jo Grady, UCU general secretary said, ‘before this dispute escalates further, university senior managers need to reflect on where their actions are taking the university and engage urgently and seriously with the union’.”

When pressed as to whether Mr Macpherson might use Scottish Government convening powers to compel groups to sit round the negotiating table, the minister said this was something he would “potentially” do.

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He said: “The university sector across the UK continues to face financial challenges due to a number of factors, including the changes to National Insurance contributions and migration policies.

“While the University of Edinburgh is an autonomous institution, the Scottish Government expects staff and trade unions to be consulted meaningfully on the potential cost-saving measures in line with fair work principles.”

Mr Macpherson said it would not be possible for ministers to compel universities to commit to no compulsory redundancies. However, he said his “clear expectation” was they be used only as a “last resort”.

The wider malaise in Scottish higher education was also listed to the chamber as Mr Whitfield pointed to 600 redundancies proposed at Dundee, 70 at Napier and a £14m deficit at the University of the West of Scotland.

The Scottish Funding Council reports nine universities are already in deficit and this could rise to 11 next year.

Mr Macpherson said the issues were exacerbated by the UK government’s rise in National Insurance contributions for employers.

“The question the university sector will be asking at this moment is ‘what is the UK government going to do to support these very important economic institutions as well as centres of educational excellence?’” he said.

SNP MSP Paul McLennan asked the minister his views on the future of Scotland’s free tuition fees. The minister said tuition fees from undergraduate students would “not be a solution to the sustainability challenges”.