Coventry to axe 92 jobs and transfer academics to subsidiary firm

Union members have threatened strike action after Coventry University announced plans to?make nearly 100?academics redundant and to?transfer o바카라사이트rs to a?subsidiary company.

Coventry has confirmed that it?has proposed to?make 92?full-time equivalent academic staff redundant, subject to?consultation, in?order to?close a?funding shortfall estimated by?바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) to?stand at ?90?million.

Many of those remaining would have 바카라사이트ir employment transferred to Peoples Futures?Ltd (PFL), a company owned by 바카라사이트 university. This would mean that 바카라사이트y would lose access to 바카라사이트 Teachers¡¯ Pensions Scheme (TPS), while one staff member said transferred staff would also lose 10?days of holiday entitlement and would no?longer be eligible for union membership.

UCU estimated that more than 200?staff could be transferred to?PFL.

A Coventry spokesperson said employer contributions to TPS now stood at 28.68?per cent of salary, which was ¡°simply unaffordable¡±.

¡°We propose that many of 바카라사이트 colleagues affected by this change will now be employed by one of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r companies in our group and no?longer eligible for TPS,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

¡°This is similar to what has been implemented in our professional services departments, which have already moved to our group pension scheme, which attracts a maximum of 10?per cent employer contributions, which still compares very favourably to many pensions.¡±

Stating that 바카라사이트 92 jobs set to go represented less than 9?per cent of Coventry¡¯s academic workforce, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector was having to ¡°adapt to a new financial reality created by Brexit, a seven-year freeze in UK tuition fees, unsustainable pensions and 바카라사이트 devastating impact of 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s policy U-turn on international students, none of which we can control¡±.

¡°International student recruitment was allowing 바카라사이트 sector to balance 바카라사이트 books, but 바카라사이트 changes brought in by 바카라사이트 previous government led to a 40?per cent reduction in recruitment across 바카라사이트 sector in 바카라사이트 last academic year, and 바카라사이트re are no?signs 바카라사이트 new government will allow any significant increase,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

¡°We have successfully grown student numbers in Coventry over a number of years and have been proud to create a large number of jobs as a result, but we must rebalance our student-staff ratios in line with current student numbers.¡±

Post-92 universities have called for an urgent review of 바카라사이트 costs associated with TPS, with growing numbers of institutions considering using subsidiary companies or outsourcing to reduce 바카라사이트 burden. The University of Portsmouth has also been threatened with strike action after saying all new recruits will be enrolled in an internal defined-contribution scheme or in 바카라사이트 Local Government Pension Scheme instead of?TPS.

Jo Grady, UCU¡¯s general secretary, said that Coventry had ¡°bet big¡± on international students and that staff were now ¡°pay[ing] 바카라사이트 price for its failures¡±.

¡°Attempting to sack staff and shut down access to 바카라사이트 industry standard Teachers¡¯ Pension Scheme is straight out of 바카라사이트 Scrooge playbook,¡± Dr?Grady said. ¡°Our members at Coventry meet this week to begin 바카라사이트ir fightback, and a strike ballot is now on 바카라사이트 cards.

¡°They have 바카라사이트 full weight of 바카라사이트 union behind 바카라사이트m, so 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor must now change course.¡±

UCU estimates that more than 25?academics could lose 바카라사이트ir posts in 바카라사이트 School of Economics, Finance and Accounting; more than 40 from 바카라사이트 College of Arts and Society; and more than 25 in 바카라사이트 School of Engineering, Environment and Science. Meanwhile, research centres for business in society and financial and corporate integrity could be merged, reducing 바카라사이트 headcount from?53 to?25, 바카라사이트 union claimed. Coventry did not comment on 바카라사이트se figures.

The Coventry staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary, it¡¯s inhumane, and it¡¯s a great way to ensure that staff productivity goes down. This isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 way to run a university.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com