On the 9th June 2020 Inverness College UHI announced a Voluntary Severance Scheme as staff savings were to be made to plug an £800,000 deficit at Inverness College UHI. The £800,000 deficit was planned for pre-Covid19, https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/uploads/docs/report/2020/aar_1819_inverness_college.pdf and takes no account of what is likely to be an increased demand for further education across the highlands as a result of COVID 19.

Throughout lockdown staff at the college have worked tirelessly on behalf of students, showing flexibility, resourcefulness and goodwill to ensure that our students education continued under lockdown. 

Staff were notified at the end of June that their jobs were under threat.  Management have threatened that if they fail to gain volunteers for redundancy then they will move to compulsory redundancy. EIS/FELA Union members at the college met and are calling for management to drop the threat of compulsory redundancy

We live in unprecedented times, however the Scottish Government along with most mainstream commentators recognise that in time of serious economic downturns student numbers increase as people turn to further and higher education to up skill. There is currently no slack in the system at the college, demand for courses is likely to increase, and yet management are planning to slash numbers of staff.  How can we support students in this new normal if there are less staff? How can we support economic recovery if there are less teaching staff to retrain our workforce and improve the outcomes for our community?

The people of Inverness and the Highlands and Islands are entitled to Further and Higher Education as much as those across our country.  Why should lecturing staff pay the price for the deficit and failings to manage the finances at Inverness College UHI.

Please sign our petition to put a stop to Compulsory Redundancies at Inverness College UHI. Save our lecturing staff.