College principal reveals why lecturer was sacked ahead of strike ballot

However, in an unprecedented move, principal Annette Bruton emailed staff to give her version of why the unnamed ex-employee had been sacked.

Larry Flanagan, the EIS general secretary, responded by saying he was “dismayed” the principal had shared information that is “strictly confidential”.

Edinburgh College – one of the country’s largest further education institutions – was formed in 2012 by the merger of Jewel and Esk, Telford and Stevenson colleges. It caters for around 19,000 students and employs nearly 1,400 staff.

However, the college has been troubled by acute financial problems – the latest accounts flagged up a £5.million deficit – and poor industrial relations.

Union representatives have been at loggerheads with management over a colleague’s dismissal and EIS members were issued with ballot papers on Thursday about industrial action, up to and including a strike. A walk-out could bring the college to a virtual standstill.

The details of the sacking were not widely known until last week, at which point Bruton sent an “all staff” email outlining what she claimed was the background to the case.

On Tuesday, two days before ballot papers were sent, she wrote: “I am taking the extremely unusual step of sharing with you information relating to the dismissal of a former colleague, as it is at the centre of the decision EIS members have to make about whether to vote for industrial action.”

“My reason for sharing this information is that you are being asked to make a decision based on a situation of which you do not have the full facts.”

Bruton wrote that she “absolutely” backed the right of staff to take industrial action, but wrote that “you should be aware of the facts so you can make an informed decision”.

The principal claimed the reasons for dismissing the former lecturer amounted to “gross misconduct” and included: “Misleading colleagues into believing that he was or had been a doctor.”

She also claimed he had been “examining some colleagues in the knowledge that he had created a false belief, that he was or had been a doctor”.

Bruton added: “Given the nature of our work this behaviour is not safe and, as a result, led to a loss of trust and confidence in the member of staff. In such cases, rare though they are, it is unlikely that confidence can be regained and I decided to uphold the dismissal, putting the interests of the students and staff first.”

Adding: “I know that this is not necessarily relevant to those of you who are not members of the EIS but, as we do not hold lists of union members (and nor should we), I am sending this communication to you all to make sure it reaches those who are eligible to vote.”

She also wrote: “My intention throughout has been, and remains, to put the students, the staff and the college first.”

Her email claimed that the former staff member could have gone to an employment tribunal: “He had advice and support from his union and for some reason chose not to take up his right to progress the case to an employment tribunal, which has now timed out.”

The union wants the former lecturer to be reinstated and supports a ‘yes’ vote in the ballot.

However, Flanagan criticised the principal’s intervention: “The EIS is holding a statutory ballot for industrial action over the dismissal of an EIS member from Edinburgh College. The EIS believes this dismissal was unfair, and followed on from a deeply flawed disciplinary process. Members are being asked to support industrial action up to and including strike action in support of their dismissed colleague, for whom we are seeking reinstatement.

“The EIS remains ready and willing to enter into constructive discussions with the College with a view to resolving this dispute. However, we are dismayed to hear that the Principal has seen fit to share, via an email to all staff – some of whom are not EIS members or even lecturers – information that we regard as strictly confidential.”

A spokesperson for Edinburgh College declined to comment.