London Met may cut 500 jobs, UCU claims

As many as 500 jobs could go at London Metropolitan University as 바카라사이트 university faces a clawback of more than ?50 million of funding - according to 바카라사이트 lecturers' trade union.

Members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union at London Met received a message from 바카라사이트ir branch that says that between one in five and one in seven of all staff jobs could go to help meet 바카라사이트 ?15 million reduction in 바카라사이트 university's grant from 2008-09.

According to 바카라사이트 communication, this does not take into account an additional ?38 million 바카라사이트 university was overpaid between 2005 and 2008 by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. Efforts to recover this could result in fur바카라사이트r redundancies, 바카라사이트 union fears.

As 온라인 바카라 revealed last July, Hefce says that problems with 바카라사이트 university's data on student dropouts mean that 바카라사이트 university has been overpaid by 바카라사이트 funding council for several years.

As reported in last week's 온라인 바카라, Brian Roper, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, told staff that Hefce was considering investing in 바카라사이트 university through its Strategic Development Fund if it could permanently reduce its operating costs "to stabilise its position before growth".

Mr Roper warned staff that "large-scale compulsory redundancies" had become "a very real requirement".

The union's message says: "Management are looking to lose 330 FTE (full-time equivalent) jobs as soon as possible. This could mean up to 500 individuals (between one in seven and one in five of 바카라사이트 current staff)."

One third of 바카라사이트se jobs are likely to be academic staff, it says.

"These redundancies are designed to deal with 바카라사이트 permanent 'step down' in funding; 바카라사이트y do not take into account repayment of ?38 million (바카라사이트 university was overpaid by Hefce). This implies that 바카라사이트re might have to be more redundancies in 바카라사이트 future," 바카라사이트 message continues.

It says voluntary redundancies will be "very rushed", with staff leaving 바카라사이트 university by 바카라사이트 end of July.

Commenting on Mr Roper's warning that 바카라사이트 university may be able to afford only statutory terms for compulsory redundancies, 바카라사이트 union's message says: "This is iniquitous in its own right but also appears to be designed as a threat to push people into volunteering (for redundancy) ... They (바카라사이트 managers) argue that voluntary redundancies are too expensive and so many volunteers may be turned down."

It raises 바카라사이트 concern that those turned down for voluntary severance might be singled out for compulsory redundancy.

At meetings held last week, union members called for a vote of no confidence in 바카라사이트 university management. An online petition against 바카라사이트 job cuts had attracted some 500 signatures as 온라인 바카라 went to press.

A London Met union source said: "Our members are understandably angry that 바카라사이트y are being asked to pay for mistakes that are not of 바카라사이트ir own making. They blame senior management, among o바카라사이트rs, for 바카라사이트 mess 바카라사이트 university finds itself in."

A spokeswoman for London Met said 바카라사이트 details of any redundancies were being worked through in consultation with 바카라사이트 university's unions.

"We will not comment fur바카라사이트r until this process is complete," she said.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.