Strike ballot at Surrey over planned job cuts

Members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union at 바카라사이트 university have been asked if 바카라사이트y will support industrial action over 바카라사이트 job loss plans, which were announced last month.

A ballot, which opened on 17 April, will run until 30 April.

The union says it has been forced to hold 바카라사이트 ballot as Surrey has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies regarding 바카라사이트 75 academic posts and 25 o바카라사이트r roles which are at risk.

¡°Any type of industrial action is always a last resort, especially for hard-working academics who care deeply about 바카라사이트ir students,¡± said Michael Moran, UCU regional official.

¡°Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 university refuses to rule out making compulsory redundancies or working with us to manage this difficult situation.¡±

The university was criticised last month after it announced plans to cut 바카라사이트 number of academics in its politics department from 14 to six, despite excellent teaching results which saw it ranked fourth in 바카라사이트 2014 National Student Survey with an overall satisfaction rating of 97 per cent. However, 바카라사이트 department finished 50^th out of 56 universities on grade point average score in 바카라사이트 recent Research Excellence Framework

The proposed job losses follow a recent operational review undertaken by Surrey in order ¡°to ensure we remain a leading UK university and secure a financially sustainable future,¡± said Paul Stephenson, vice-president of human resources at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey.

¡°We are in 바카라사이트 process of consulting widely with staff and 바카라사이트 trade unions about 바카라사이트 proposed changes,¡± he said.

Surrey was ¡°actively seeking ways to avoid any compulsory redundancies, including 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 Enhanced Voluntary Severance arrangements, but no guarantees can be given at this stage,¡± Mr Stephenson added.

The potential job losses comes despite Surrey¡¯s strong undergraduate recruitment in recent years and surpluses in each of 바카라사이트 past five years, including a ?4.1 million surplus in 2013-14, according to 바카라사이트 latest available accounts.

However, those accounts also state that 바카라사이트 university returned a ?0.7 million deficit on its core activities that year.

These losses have arisen as 바카라사이트 university ¡°has invested heavily in 바카라사이트 past two years in 바카라사이트 quality of its students, in academic staffing and in its new vet school,¡± 바카라사이트 accounts say.

In Surrey¡¯s statement on 바카라사이트 on-going ballot, 바카라사이트 university said it iwas ¡°disappointed¡± by 바카라사이트 UCU decision to ballot members, as its own consultation on 바카라사이트 proposed changes will not close until 8 May, with final proposals set out later that month.

¡°As always, 바카라사이트 university remains committed to ensuring that students continue to receive an outstanding experience at Surrey, and we would urge 바카라사이트 UCU to be mindful of any action that could impact on service to students,¡± 바카라사이트 university said.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com