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Aberdeen Occupiers Condemn University Bonuses

A freedom of information request submitted by students occupying the management offices of the University of Aberdeen today revealed that the University has paid over £190,000 in bonuses to senior staff.

The revelation comes at a time when students are occupying in support of the public sector strikes and in protest against what they are calling the excessive salaries and bonuses of senior management. The bonuses, awarded to staff in the top pay bracket of over £50,000, come at a time when hundreds of staff have been lost to voluntary redundancies and the University is raising tuition fees to £9,000 for students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The majority of bonuses relate to performance, but the University has dropped 9 places in league tables.

Gordon Maloney, a fourth year Linguistics student, said: “The University management should be ashamed for awarding themselves bonuses while lecturers are losing their jobs, students are losing their lecturers and students are trapped between profoundly bleak job prospects and a lifetime of debt.

"The University feels it has plenty of money to throw at senior staff, but not enough to fund lecturers. Management need to give these bonuses back and turn down all future raises and bonuses."

Students are today expected to join striking workers on picket lines across the city, bringing tea and coffee.

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