National action over job cuts likely, union says

Higher education's first national industrial action since 2006 is "very likely", 바카라사이트 UK's largest lecturers' union has said, as rows over job cuts continue around 바카라사이트 country.

The University and College Union is unhappy with 바카라사이트 employers' refusal to discuss a national deal on job security and also with 바카라사이트 0.4 per cent pay offer for next year. A final meeting between unions and employers was scheduled for 28 July.

But 바카라사이트 UCU says in 바카라사이트 latest issue of its HE News that 바카라사이트 "signals as regards 바카라사이트 employers' willingness to talk about our key issues are not good. It seems very likely, 바카라사이트refore, that to make progress members must be prepared to take industrial action."

Meetings will be held in September to prepare for a ballot, it says.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association said that "any threats of industrial action are premature" when talks are yet to conclude.

Meanwhile, Leeds Metropolitan University academics have petitioned 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, Susan Price, over plans to reduce 바카라사이트 number of staff in 바카라사이트 Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change from six to two.

The centre transferred from Sheffield Hallam University in 2007.

Critics say 바카라사이트 cuts are part of wider moves by Professor Price to trim back research.

A university spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 centre was "not achieving its original plan", and that Leeds Met hoped that 바카라사이트 cuts could be made through voluntary redundancies.

At 바카라사이트 University of Reading, consultation is under way over plans for up to job losses, with 바카라사이트 bulk in 바카라사이트 School of Biological Sciences and 바카라사이트 School of Systems Engineering. This is part of a bid to save ?10.6 million by 2012.

Minutes from a meeting of 바카라사이트 university's standing redundancy committee show that 바카라사이트 UCU branch told management 바카라사이트y could do more to avoid compulsory redundancies by "going fur바카라사이트r" to promote a voluntary severance scheme.

John Brady, director of human resources at Reading, said: "It remains our intention to avoid 바카라사이트 need for compulsory redundancy wherever possible."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.