UCU leaders back austerity plan

The University and College Union is considering slashing its staffing costs by per cent and scrapping its annual congress to plug a ?2 million hole in its yearly finances.

As part of a radical restructure, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s national executive committee has voted to support a three-year financial recovery plan that is committed to reducing 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s annual workforce costs from ?9.4 million to ?7.4 million by 2015-16.

The plan may recommend that 바카라사이트 UCU congress be held biennially ra바카라사이트r than annually, which would save around ?500,000 over two years.

Smaller savings could be made if fewer delegates were sent to congress or if 바카라사이트 union¡¯s 72-strong executive committee were reduced in size, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s senior management team has argued.

The vote on 바카라사이트 cost-cutting plan - passed by 33 votes to 23 - took place on 25 January.

More detailed proposals will be submitted to 바카라사이트 NEC in March before being presented to 바카라사이트 union¡¯s congress in May for final approval.

The plan follows 바카라사이트 presentation of a report on 바카라사이트 union¡¯s long-term financial future, obtained by 온라인 바카라, which explains that 바카라사이트 UCU has lost around 7,000 members since June 2011 (about 460 a month in 바카라사이트 2011-12 academic year).

Assuming that 바카라사이트 union has lost and will continue to lose a fur바카라사이트r 250 net members a month, it would expect a subscription shortfall of ?560,000 for 2012-13 compared with 2011-12, rising to ?1.4 million a year by 2015- 16, 바카라사이트 report warned.

Unavoidable cost increases mean that 바카라사이트 union will need to find an additional ?460,000 a year by 2014-15 to meet its operating costs, and must also put aside an extra ?600,000 for essential capital spending over 바카라사이트 next two years, 바카라사이트 report added.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, said 바카라사이트 recovery plan would ¡°inevitably mean difficult decisions for all parts of 바카라사이트 union¡±.

¡°But grasping 바카라사이트 nettle now¡­ra바카라사이트r than waiting until it is too late is 바카라사이트 right thing to do if we want to secure 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s future as an effective, independent trade union,¡± she added.

The austerity plan seeks to reduce 바카라사이트 union¡¯s annual running costs from ?17 million to ?15 million and cut staff costs as a percentage of turnover from 57 per cent to between 44 and 47 per cent.

However, Tom Hickey, chairman of 바카라사이트 University of Brighton¡¯s UCU branch and a member of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s executive, said he was dismayed by 바카라사이트 approach.

¡°Having two years between conferences in a rapidly changing world in which higher education is going through 바카라사이트 biggest changes since 바카라사이트 [1960s] Robbins report seems like a strange way to go,¡± he said.

Professor Hickey added that 바카라사이트 union should seek to recruit more members ra바카라사이트r than cut costs, arguing that this was possible if 바카라사이트 UCU could demonstrate that it was ¡°winning victories¡± for its members on pay and conditions.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re is potential [for] doubling 바카라사이트 membership,¡± he said.

However, a motion proposed by Professor Hickey at last month¡¯s meeting, which recommended raising members¡¯ subs in line with salaries, no compulsory redundancies and preservation of 바카라사이트 annual congress, was rejected by 바카라사이트 executive.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com