Scottish FE college plans to axe 45 jobs

REID Kerr College in Paisley plans to axe 10 per cent of its staff because of financial problems.

The further education college says it must shed up to 45 full-time equivalent academic and support posts by the end of November, in a bid to make savings of Pounds 829,000 this financial year. The college has agreed a recovery plan with the Scottish Office. Figures for 1996-97 showed it was 18 per cent below the national average for lecturers' teaching hours.

Managers say they have consulted staff over the past 18 months on the need for savings, but there has been no progress.

"Every effort will be made to minimise the impact by seeking volunteers, although the level of savings required suggests that there is little prospect of avoiding compulsory redundancies," a college statement said.

Principal Matt Aird said: "This is a situation that I very much regret, but for the sake of existing and prospective students, we have to act quickly."

The College Lecturers' Association said staff had been offered a two-year pay deal in return for taking more classes and allowing management to shed 20 full-time jobs. Branch secretary John Kelly said the timing of a pay offer just after the notice of redundancies was "despicable".