James Watt College, Greenock and North Ayrshire

That the Parliament continues to be concerned by the actions of the Principal and board of management of James Watt College in their issuing of compulsory redundancy notices to 70 full-time staff and in the lack of prior consultation with staff and union representatives; deplores attempts by the Principal and board of management to ditch collective agreements and to impose on staff new contracts which would offer poorer terms and conditions than currently exist; considers that the actions of the Principal and board of management are unacceptable and are driven by the desire to post a profit rather than by the interests of students, staff and the college itself; calls on the college to withdraw redundancy notices and allow staff to return to work and students to their studies in a secure and ordered environment and, at the same time, enter into meaningful negotiations with staff union representatives; further considers that the prime motivation for any college should be the academic achievements of students, and regrets that, in their current course of action, the Principal and board of management of James Watt College have failed the college and have, in fact, put at risk the academic achievement and future career prospects of students.