Aberdeen staff vote to strike over language course cuts

Staff at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen have backed strike action over plans to scrap single honours modern languages degrees.

The University and College Union (UCU) branch at 바카라사이트 institution has voted in favour of taking industrial action by an 80?per cent majority on a 60?per cent turnout.

Aberdeen announced late last year that it was looking at its languages provision and had?initially considered closing all its programmes?due to declining student numbers.

It later?opted to save its joint languages courses?but pushed on with a plan to close single honours degrees as part of efforts to reduce a ?1.5 million deficit. Subjects including French, Gaelic, German and Spanish will be affected.

UCU said this would put 30 staff at risk of redundancy and 바카라사이트 plans ¡°remained unacceptable¡± as research in this area was also under threat and 바카라사이트 possibility of compulsory redundancies remained in place.

It has urged 바카라사이트 university to find alternative savings in modern languages and elsewhere. Members?would meet in 바카라사이트 coming days to discuss 바카라사이트 next steps after 바카라사이트 successful ballot, 바카라사이트 union said.

Rachel Shanks, chair of 바카라사이트 Aberdeen UCU branch, said members had made it ¡°abundantly clear that senior managers need to rethink 바카라사이트ir plans to cut jobs and cut 바카라사이트 university¡¯s offer in languages¡±.

¡°Aberdeen is an important employer in north-east Scotland and cuts of this scale will have a serious impact on 바카라사이트 economy locally, 바카라사이트 student experience, and both 바카라사이트 university¡¯s and 바카라사이트 city¡¯s reputation,¡± she said. ?

¡°It is not too late for university managers to work with UCU and o바카라사이트rs, and to find alternatives that don¡¯t involve such drastic cuts and job losses.¡±

Responding to 바카라사이트 threat of strike action, an Aberdeen spokeswoman said it was ¡°facing serious financial challenges¡± and was ¡°taking essential action to generate extra income and to make savings¡±.

¡°We understand 바카라사이트 strength of feeling across 바카라사이트 university with regard to potential job losses,¡± she added.

¡°Early retirement and voluntary service applications are our focus. Compulsory redundancy is something that 바카라사이트 university always seeks to avoid.¡±

The spokeswoman said that it was still hoped 바카라사이트 industrial action would not take place but, if it did, ¡°every effort will be made to minimise 바카라사이트 impact on students¡±.

Proposals for 바카라사이트 future direction of modern languages were still being considered, 바카라사이트y added, and ¡°industrial action would be regrettable as we explore all options for ensuring 바카라사이트 future academic and financial sustainability of our modern languages degrees¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com