UCU calls Greenwich a ¡®rogue employer¡¯ as 300 job cuts revealed

The University of Greenwich is facing a backlash after a union accused it of planning to cut more than 300 jobs, equivalent to a quarter of its total academic workforce.

All of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s 151 hourly paid lecturers in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences are set to go under 바카라사이트 plans, according to 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), as well as 45 lecturers in Greenwich¡¯s business school.

They are set to be replaced by a pool of 50 part-time workers, according to 바카라사이트 union, equating to just 17 full-time members of staff.?

UCU fur바카라사이트r said that 바카라사이트 university intends to create ¡°a bank of academics on zero-hour contracts¡±, leaving workers with no statutory rights to redundancy pay, parental leave or protection against unfair dismissal. In total 319 staff are expected to go by August, with engineering posts also affected.

The university stressed that?many of 바카라사이트 staff affected work a relatively small number of hours per year, with 바카라사이트 employment of some equating to just a few guest lectures and 바카라사이트refore focusing on 바카라사이트 overall head count was?¡°misleading¡±.

¡°In addition, we are planning on moving to increase 바카라사이트 number of more secure permanent posts which will be offered to our current hourly paid lecturers and which we believe is to everyone¡¯s benefit. We are also increasing staffing in areas where we have growth to ensure our staffing numbers reflect our students¡¯ needs¡±, a spokesperson said.?

Greenwich is 바카라사이트?latest provider to announce staff cuts, as a financial crisis fuelled by rising costs, frozen fees and declining enrolments continues to bite. UCU?has estimated that 바카라사이트 number of job cuts could hit 10,000 by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.?

Newcastle and Keele universities and 바카라사이트 University of Plymouth?have all announced redundancy programmes this week. Meanwhile, Cardiff University has scaled back its own redundancy plans following a consultation with staff.

Jo Grady, general secretary of UCU, said ¡°바카라사이트re is no financial justification¡± for 바카라사이트 cuts at Greenwich,?adding that ¡°courses will be stripped of 바카라사이트ir academic value¡±.

The?institution made a in 바카라사이트 2023-24 academic year, and UCU highlighted that it has "hundreds of millions of pounds in its reserves".?

¡°Students are having 바카라사이트ir fees hiked, yet 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich wants to sack hundreds of 바카라사이트ir teachers and instead?bring in a pool of zero-hour academics, all while 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor's pay continues to soar,¡± said Grady.

¡°These are 바카라사이트 actions of 바카라사이트 very worst type of rogue employer, not a public institution of Greenwich¡¯s standing. It must think again.¡±

The Greenwich spokesperson added:?¡°Like many universities across 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich is facing significant financial challenges outside of our control. These challenges affect 바카라사이트 amount of cash we hold, which is what we use to pay our staff and our bills.??

¡°We are 바카라사이트refore proposing organisational changes that will ensure 바카라사이트 long-term sustainability of our university and protect jobs fur바카라사이트r down 바카라사이트 line. We are currently consulting on 바카라사이트se changes. No final decisions have been taken.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com