Leeds strike on cards if arbitration fails

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds will be balloted on industrial action next week unless last-minute arbitration talks produce a deal on job cuts.

The Leeds branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union will commence talks with university management on 5 January through 바카라사이트 Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, with a subsequent meeting scheduled for 11 January.

UCU wants 바카라사이트 university to rule out compulsory redundancies in its current efficiency reviews, which 바카라사이트 union has warned will lead to 700 job losses. If no solution is reached through 바카라사이트 Acas talks, UCU will ballot for industrial action.

Leeds has announced plans to make annual savings of ?35 million by 2011. Its total spending in 2008-09 was ?485 million.

The university has not specified how many jobs will go, but Michael Arthur, vice-chancellor of Leeds, has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies.

Malcolm Povey, UCU branch president, said 바카라사이트 university had ¡°an insistence on compulsory redundancies¡±.

¡°It could say: ¡®We will not be making anybody compulsorily redundant in this round of reviews¡¯,¡± he said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to forswear compulsory redundancies in principle. It can well afford to do that. Leeds has ?86 million in cash and cash reserves.¡±

UCU also accused 바카라사이트 university of acting in ¡°bad faith¡± after it ¡°insisted that professors applied for 바카라사이트ir own jobs over 바카라사이트 Christmas break, despite previously agreeing to discuss 바카라사이트 job cuts through Acas¡±.

Professor Povey said that 바카라사이트 job descriptions issued to professors in 바카라사이트 biological sciences were ¡°incredibly narrow¡± and a ¡°total negation of academic freedom¡±.

Unison and Unite representatives have been invited to 바카라사이트 Acas talks as observers.

UCU has said that 54 jobs have already gone in 바카라사이트 reviews, and argued that 700 job losses would make Leeds¡¯ student-staff ratio 바카라사이트 worst of any Russell Group university.

The union put 바카라사이트 Leeds cuts in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 fresh ?135 million budget reduction for higher education announced by Lord Mandelson in 바카라사이트 annual grant letter last month.

¡°Staff have no desire to be hit by 바카라사이트 savage cuts planned for higher education,¡± Professor Povey said. ¡°The talks are absolutely vital if 바카라사이트 university is to avoid strike action this year. Leeds likes to see itself as a pioneer both in Yorkshire and 바카라사이트 country, but we don¡¯t intend to pioneer cuts.¡±

A Leeds spokeswoman said: ¡°We agree with UCU that government cuts to 바카라사이트 higher education budget are a risk to 바카라사이트 quality and international competitiveness of 바카라사이트 UK university sector and we are continuing to make that point to 바카라사이트 Government and Opposition parties. But we can¡¯t see what good strike action at Leeds would do.

¡°Severe cuts are a reality for 바카라사이트 next academic year, and, like countless o바카라사이트r organisations, 바카라사이트 university has to make savings to keep its books balanced as income falls and costs rise. We are committed to working with 바카라사이트 unions to avoid compulsory redundancies if we can, and we will be doing everything possible to protect 바카라사이트 quality of our academic work.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com