The Scottish Greens have declared their support for University of Edinburgh staff ahead of a five-week strike over £140m in cuts and the threat of compulsory redundancies.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) will begin their industrial action on Monday following the university’s plans to close 90 programmes, including specialist courses for teaching deaf and visually impaired learners.
Scottish Greens MSP Kate Nevens has lodged a parliamentary motion backing the staff and raising concerns about the closures, which is supported by the party’s tertiary education spokesperson, Iris Duane MSP.
Iris Duane MSP said: “I stand with staff planning strike action. I am standing alongside them because like me, they care about students, and they know these cuts will damage the education they can provide.
‘Universities are public institutions, that should serve their staff and students, not cut back on our knowledge or potential’
“University staff and students have faced years of uncertainty. For an institution that has said it is not in deficit to pursue cuts on this scale is a slap in the face.
“The planned closure of courses that train teachers to support deaf and visually impaired learners especially shows what is at stake, these are not opportunities that students and communities can afford to lose.
“I stand with the UCU members in calling for University management to rule out compulsory redundancies, rethink the course closures and work with staff to find a way forward.”
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