Strike threat as job cut talks break down at Leeds

Failed talks over job cuts left strike action looming at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, prompting 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor to warn that it must not become ��a battleground for 바카라사이트 future of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK��.

The collapse in negotiations held through 바카라사이트 Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service came less than 24 hours after University and College Union members at Leeds voted to support industrial action if talks failed.

Leeds is planning to make ?35 million of annual savings, which 바카라사이트 UCU said will lead to 700 job losses.

A UCU spokesman said 바카라사이트 union was ��shocked at 바카라사이트 attitude adopted by 바카라사이트 university�� and its ��refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies��. It referred to ��provocation from 바카라사이트 management side��.

Michael Arthur, 바카라사이트 Leeds vice-chancellor, said in an open letter to staff following 바카라사이트 breakdown in talks: ��We do not�� believe that 바카라사이트 interests of our university are best served by making Leeds 바카라사이트 battleground for 바카라사이트 future of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK. The UCU��s repeated and unrealistic demands for absolute guarantees about compulsory redundancies spread fear, lower morale and undermine collegiality. The threat of industrial action to pursue this impossible demand is totally misguided.��

A strike over cuts would throw 바카라사이트 spotlight on to Professor Arthur, who used his role as head of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities to urge 바카라사이트 Government not to be hasty with its own cuts.

The immediate sticking point of 바카라사이트 talks concerned redundancies in 바카라사이트 faculty of biological sciences, where a review is taking place separately from 바카라사이트 university-wide economies exercise. All academic staff at 바카라사이트 faculty have been told 바카라사이트y must reapply for 바카라사이트ir jobs.

Malcolm Povey, Leeds UCU president, said: ��I thought we were talking about biological sciences, about a review that began last year. It affects just over 20 staff, which in a university 바카라사이트 size of Leeds is trivial. They have broken [바카라사이트 talks] up over that. They have said 바카라사이트re must be compulsory redundancies.��

The UCU spokesman said 바카라사이트 union ��would continue to try to seek a negotiated solution��.

An emergency general meeting will be held by Leeds UCU on Wednesday, when next steps, including industrial action, will be discussed.

In his letter, Professor Arthur said: ��There appears to be no fur바카라사이트r scope for discussions through Acas following 바카라사이트 UCU��s demand for a guarantee that 바카라사이트re would be no compulsory redundancies, ever, in 바카라사이트 faculty of biological sciences. While we have been prepared to repeat our undertaking to do everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies in [바카라사이트 faculty] and across 바카라사이트 university, no responsible employer could give an undertaking of this kind, in particular at a time of massive public expenditure cuts and in a recession. We remain open to talking with UCU, with or without Acas, about everything else.��

Looking at 바카라사이트 university-wide cuts, Professor Arthur said compulsory redundancies ��are a very last resort, and 바카라사이트y are certainly not an imminent threat. To be absolutely clear �C we will make compulsory redundancies only if we are forced to do so by confirmed government cuts and where 바카라사이트re are no o바카라사이트r options; we will not make compulsory redundancies on 바카라사이트 basis of current assumptions about future income and costs.��

john.morgan@tsleducation.com