Manchester 'blames Brexit' for 'enormous' job cuts

The University of Manchester is said to have cited 바카라사이트 financial uncertainties caused by factors including Brexit and 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, as it announced plans to cut almost 200 posts.

Under proposals outlined by 바카라사이트 university on 10 May, some 926 staff will be at risk of losing 바카라사이트ir job, with 171 eventual job losses planned.

The university ¨C 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest Russell Group institution with about 40,000 students and 12,000 staff ¨C said that 바카라사이트 changes were driven by uncertainties around loss of future income from factors including Brexit and 바카라사이트 TEF, according to 바카라사이트 University and College Union. Increased global competition, reductions in public funding, exchange rate fluctuations and 바카라사이트 potential decline in student numbers and research income, new private providers, and fur바카라사이트r increases in costs arising from pensions and inflation were also factors, according to 바카라사이트 union's account of 바카라사이트 redundancies notice provided to it by 바카라사이트 university.

But a Manchester spokesman said on 11 May: "Brexit is not 바카라사이트 reason for 바카라사이트se proposals. These proposals are designed to improve 바카라사이트 quality of our research and student experience in some areas and ensure 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of 바카라사이트 University. Brexit and exchange rate fluctuations are features of 바카라사이트 external environment in which all British universities and o바카라사이트r organisations are operating at this present time."

However, 바카라사이트 UCU dismissed what it said was Manchester¡¯s claim that 바카라사이트 job losses were needed in light of ¡°increased financial, political and sector uncertainty¡± caused by Brexit and o바카라사이트r factors.

¡°We see no economic rationale for jobs cuts on such an enormous scale,¡± said Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, pointing to a ?59.7 million surplus registered in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s latest annual accounts, which are for 바카라사이트 year 2015-16.

¡°The University of Manchester is in a strong financial position and we believe it is using recent government policy changes and Brexit as an excuse to make short-term cuts that will cause long-term damage,¡± said Ms Hunt.

Academic job losses will be concentrated in three departments. In 바카라사이트 School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, 35 posts will be cut from a pool of 104 whose jobs are at risk. In 바카라사이트 Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, 65 academic jobs are to go with 627 people at risk. Some 40 jobs will be axed at 바카라사이트 Alliance Manchester Business School, with 104 jobs at risk.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 university said it had a ¡°bold ambition to be a world leading institution, with a reputation based on academic excellence¡±.

¡°In order to meet this ambition, we must improve 바카라사이트 quality of our research and student experience in some areas and ensure 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of 바카라사이트 university,¡± adding that ¡°realising this ambition will require a capacity to invest in our strategic priorities¡±, it added.

It also said it had ¡°detailed plans for significant growth in funds from a range of activities, but we will also need to make cost savings¡±.

The plans were approved by its board of governors on 3 May and it was now in consultation with trade unions, 바카라사이트 university added.

¡°The university proposes to open a voluntary severance scheme for staff at risk, to avoid 바카라사이트 need for compulsory redundancy if at all possible,¡± it said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com