Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd has welcomed the decision by Queen’s University to place staff at its student’s union on furlough in order to protect jobs. 

The University had earlier refused to re-enroll these workers on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme despite them being eligible and despite the University enrolling other staff on the scheme.

The party’s spokesperson for Higher and Further Education said:

“I want to welcome this decision by Queen’s to finally furlough its Student Union Staff.

“Staff at the student union’s should not have been put in this position to begin with and should have been furloughed like other university staff. 

“Earlier this month I had written to the Vice Chancellor asking him to reverse this decision and I am glad to see that this has now been done.

“This decision will help ensure that these staff members many of which are students can at least have some income at this uncertain time. 

“I want to also commend Unite the Union for campaigning and representing these workers throughout this process. This outcome underlines the importance of trade unions in protecting workers.”