Almost 200 more jobs to go at Dundee University in 'devastating' update for staff
Some 645 jobs have already gone at the university
John Swinney has been left “deeply disappointed” by Dundee University after the institution confirmed almost 200 additional jobs could be axed before SNP ministers were assured “meaningful and effective dialogue” with staff was undertaken.
The Scottish government has openly criticised the announcement after university bossed ignored a request from Education Secretary Màiri McAllan for the notification to be delayed while ministers were shown proof that engagement with staff and trade unions had bene undertaken - a requirement of public funds being handed over.
Some 675 posts have already gone at the crisis-hit institution as a result of two rounds of voluntary redundancy, after a £35 million black hole in its finances emerged.
But bosses have said a further £20 million will need to be found, with 190 jobs set to go, spread evenly between teaching and professional services.
In a statement, interim principal Prof Nigel Seaton, said: “We have informed staff that we are moving into collective consultation on proposals to reduce staffing by around 190 posts, split equally across our academic and professional services communities.
“Staff who are at risk of redundancy are being informed today.
“Over the last 18 months we have taken vigorous action to address our financial situation, including two rounds of voluntary severance, introducing tighter financial controls, freezing non-essential recruitment and limiting our operational expenditure.
He argued that despite funding from the SFC and cutting hundreds of jobs, “we still have some way to go to become financially sustainable”.
The university has made “progress” in cutting its non-staff spending, Prof Seaton added, but there was “a limit to how much further we can go”, with further saving required to come from staffing.
He added: “I am very conscious of the very difficult – actually, awful – experience that staff in particular have gone through since our financial crisis was acknowledged.
“If there were any other way to secure the future of the university without carrying out the change we have outlined, we would take it.
“But we must go through this to ensure that the university survives and that we continue to do great things for our students, for those who benefit from our research, and for society more widely.”
Ian Ellis, the co-president of the Dundee branch of the UCU trade union, said the news is “devastating” for staff and students.
“Staff are once again paying the price for management failings and a catalogue of managerial missteps,” he said.
“Every job that is lost, whether by voluntary redundancy or by possible compulsory redundancies is a tragedy for the individuals impacted but also diminishes the university and leaves increasingly unmanageable workloads for the staff who remain.”
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Swinney branded the announcement “extremely disappointing”.
He added: “Along with public funding being involved, it is a necessity to make sure that any utilisation of any of those public funds is compliant with the conditions that were associated.
“The Scottish Funding Council has looked at the proposals from the University of Dundee and in its assessment believes that the university has complied with the funding conditions.
Ministers have not been assured of the detail of this and we will require to see this as the direction came from ministers.”
Ms McAllan, who met with the university’s principal, Prof Seaton, on Tuesday morning, said she “requested that university leadership pause the consultation process to enable ministers the opportunity to consider and interrogate the evidence”.
“It is regrettable they have not agreed to this reasonable delay and pressed ahead with today’s announcement”, she added.
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