Statement on proposed job cuts at Heriot Watt University

UCU Scotland official Mary Senior said: 'This is a deeply worrying time for staff and students at Heriot Watt University.  Staff are vital to the continued learning, teaching and research at the university, and the employer should be investing in staff rather than cutting them.  Heriot Watt University has healthy reserves and already spends proportionately less of its overall budget on staffing than other universities.  We will be working together with the employer in the collective consultation and asking them to look at other options to make savings, rather than cutting jobs.'
 
On Friday 3 March the employer announced to trade unions and staff that it was looking to cut approximately 100 jobs, and that it intended to open an enhanced voluntary redundancy scheme.