THE University and College Union (UCU) have stated that University of Edinburgh management is planning to spend more money on capital expenditure this year and next year compared to the past decade.
This follows the news that 350 members of staff took voluntary severance offered by the university amid a troubling financial situation earlier this year.
The UCU are currently balloting members, asking if they are willing to take part in strike action over the threat of compulsory redundancy and school cuts made by Principle Peter Mathieson.
Members of staff have reported that managers have shown them graphs detailing capital spending for the next two years.
UCU Edinburgh shared data collected by the Joint Unions Finance Working Group last week.
They stated: “It is outrageous for management to be spending so much money on capital expenditure while claiming there is a crisis which may require mass redundancies.”
A graph shows that whilst cash inflow from activities for next year is forecast to be less than £50m, outflow on capital expenditure is over £200m, which is more than the previous nine years.
The UCU state that “all other things being equal, there would be good reason for the University to spend significant sums on capital expenditure” due to the increasing number of students and need for new classrooms and labs.
However, given the “cash crisis” outlined by Principle Peter Mathieson, the UCU say: “We do not believe it is acceptable for management to be budgeting to spend more than ever before on capital expenditure—new buildings and the like—while planning for mass redundancies.
“We do not believe this is acceptable to staff, students, politicians, or the general public.
“Savings should first come from scaling back capital expenditure, and, in the current situation, the capital expenditure should certainly not be growing.
“Management should commit to ensuring job stability, including for staff on precarious contracts.”
It has been confirmed that 350 staff at the university took voluntary severance offered by the university as they referenced an “urgent” crisis in the institution’s “financial sustainability”.
Staff are currently balloting to decide on strike action regarding the management’s inability to rule out compulsory redundancies.
The University of Edinburgh has been contacted for comment.
