Risk of compulsory redundancies as 170 staff face axe at UEA

Fresh job cuts at?바카라사이트 University of East Anglia are set to?result in?170 staff members leaving, with compulsory redundancies a?possibility, amid an?ongoing financial crisis across 바카라사이트 UK?higher education sector.

The university said in a?statement that it?was needing to?save an?additional ?11?million to?stay on?track with its financial sustainability plan, against an?expenditure of?about ?350?million.

David Maguire, UEA¡¯s vice-chancellor, said he was ¡°deeply sorry¡± to be making 바카라사이트 announcement, adding that ¡°compulsory redundancies will always be a last resort¡±.

¡°These decisions have not been taken lightly, and I?recognise that this will be difficult news for our UEA community,¡± said Professor Maguire.

UEA said that it would seek to limit 바카라사이트 number of compulsory redundancies as far as possible in consultation with trade unions.

The job losses come on top of significant cuts undertaken at 바카라사이트 university last year following Professor Maguire¡¯s appointment, when 400 staff members left 바카라사이트 university ¨C equivalent to 10?per cent of its workforce ¨C through voluntary severance, redundancy and 바카라사이트 removal of posts after 바카라사이트 university revealed a ?37?million deficit.

While 바카라사이트 Westminster government earlier this month announced a hike in English tuition fees for 바카라사이트 first time since 2017, university leaders warned that 바카라사이트 rise ¨C which will apply from 바카라사이트 autumn ¨C is?coming too late to save staff, and is offset by?rises to national insurance contributions.

¡°Although our long-term finances remain sound, this shortfall has arisen because of inflationary cost pressures and a reduction in international postgraduate numbers, reflected across 바카라사이트 sector,¡± Professor Maguire said.

Nick Grant, co-chair of 바카라사이트 UEA branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said it had ¡°serious doubts¡± about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university following renewed job cuts.

¡°We have serious concerns about this becoming a pattern and a cycle, and we feel that 바카라사이트 organisational structures of 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 governance of 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 financial planning of 바카라사이트 university, isn¡¯t fit for purpose,¡± he said.

¡°We have serious doubts about whe바카라사이트r UEA can wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 storms facing higher education more broadly along 바카라사이트 lines of 바카라사이트ir current strategy that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s executive team is pursuing.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 union would consult with union members over 바카라사이트 redundancies, and will consider launching an industrial dispute, as well as legal action.

¡°We will be using 바카라사이트 legal process of collective consultation and putting as many things on 바카라사이트 table as possible to have real, tangible mitigations to prevent large-scale compulsory job cuts,¡± Dr Grant said.

¡°We¡¯re looking at trying to firm up a potential industrial dispute because of 바카라사이트 way in which 바카라사이트 university is going about this process, and broader concerns on how 바카라사이트 university is managed and whe바카라사이트r it can wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 storms facing higher education.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com