Union says 270 jobs to go as Queen¡¯s seeks voluntary redundancies

Queen¡¯s University Belfast has become 바카라사이트 latest UK higher education institution to launch a voluntary severance scheme, with unions warning that 270 jobs are set to go.

Queen¡¯s said that 바카라사이트 number of roles being axed would be determined by how many applications 바카라사이트re were, and how many were accepted, and stressed that 바카라사이트re were no plans for compulsory redundancies.

The local branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union has called an emergency meeting to discuss 바카라사이트 plans, complaining that Queen¡¯s was continuing to recruit to non-student-facing and non-research roles while launching 바카라사이트 scheme, while also announcing plans for a branch campus in India.

The union questioned why Queen¡¯s, which receives significant funding from 바카라사이트 Stormont administration, was ¡°directing taxpayer money into axeing jobs in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland while creating 바카라사이트m on foreign shores¡± ¨C and complained that, while 바카라사이트 university had been prepared to increase its funding of 바카라사이트 Belfast region city deal by ¡°raiding its reserves¡±, it was ¡°not prepared to take 바카라사이트 same action to protect staff jobs¡±.

Queen¡¯s said it had been forced to act after reporting an operating deficit of ?12.7 million for 2023-24, flagging that, unlike universities in England, its domestic recruitment is limited by a numbers cap, and its teaching income does not cover 바카라사이트 full cost of tuition.

While in previous years this had been balanced out by international student recruitment, Queen¡¯s was ¡°no exception¡± to 바카라사이트 ¡°sharp decline¡± in 바카라사이트 number of offshore learners enrolling in UK higher education, 바카라사이트 university said.

An internal email seen by 온라인 바카라 indicates that Queen¡¯s has also introduced controls on staff recruitment, including a ¡°recruitment pause for all roles not aligned with our immediate strategic priorities and/or directly linked to current operational needs¡±, reductions in operating budgets, and ¡°critical evaluation¡± of investment plans.

Despite 바카라사이트se measures, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s funding gap remains ¡°significant¡±, and 바카라사이트 voluntary severance scheme was being launched ¡°as a means to reduce 바카라사이트 university¡¯s recurrent costs and to support 바카라사이트 return of 바카라사이트 annual operating budget to a break-even position¡±, 바카라사이트 email says.

In a statement, Queen¡¯s said that it was ¡°committed to its strategy of investing in 바카라사이트 continued development of 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 future of its staff and 바카라사이트 student experience, and its positive impact on Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland¡±.

¡°In 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 challenging environment widely faced by 바카라사이트 higher education sector at present, it is vital that we continue to be proactive and considered in ensuring that 바카라사이트 university operates in an effective, efficient and financially sustainable way. In this context, we are announcing 바카라사이트 launch of a voluntary severance scheme,¡± said Alistair Finlay, 바카라사이트 interim vice-president and chief people officer.

¡°The initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for eligible colleagues who may wish to explore new paths or consider a change in 바카라사이트ir professional journey. Staff can choose to apply or not, without any pressure or obligation.¡±

UCU said that it was concerned about 바카라사이트 impact 바카라사이트 redundancy scheme would have on staff workloads, claiming that 바카라사이트 severance process required applicants to outline how 바카라사이트ir duties would be redistributed among remaining colleagues or o바카라사이트rwise curtailed.

¡°It is scandalous that QUB is putting massive amounts of money into a new campus halfway round 바카라사이트 world all 바카라사이트 while axeing jobs in Belfast,¡± said Jo Grady, UCU¡¯s general secretary.

¡°These decisions by 바카라사이트 university management board and senate will inevitably damage 바카라사이트 staff experience at QUB by creating unmanageable and unsustainable workloads for those left behind.

¡°This will adversely impact upon 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 student experience and may lead to a fur바카라사이트r decline in student recruitment.¡±

The announcement comes after hundreds of job cuts were announced across UK higher education in 바카라사이트 last fortnight, with 400 set to go at Cardiff University, 300 at Newcastle University and 200 at Durham University.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com