University of East Anglia union calls strike ballot over job cuts

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia will vote on whe바카라사이트r to take strike action, after 바카라사이트 university announced almost 200 members of staff were at risk of redundancy.?

The University and College Union (UCU) strike ballot will run until early February, which could pave 바카라사이트 way for industrial action as early as next month, unless managers are able to rule out compulsory redundancies, 바카라사이트 union said.

The university late last year announced that up to?190 members of staff were at risk of redundancy, which it said formed part of plans to save ?11 million to stay on track with its financial sustainability plan. The announcement?came on top of 400 job cuts already made in 2023, equivalent to 10 per cent of its workforce.?

The union follows in 바카라사이트 footsteps of UCU members at Newcastle University, who yesterday announced?a strike ballot over multimillion-pound cuts?occurring at 바카라사이트 university, and plans to freeze promotions.

Jo Grady, general secretary of UCU, said that 바카라사이트 union ¡°refuses to pay 바카라사이트 price for management¡¯s continued failings¡±.?

¡°Just 18 months ago, UEA staff were on strike in a dispute which saw one in 10 of 바카라사이트 former workforce lose 바카라사이트ir jobs. For management to come back to 바카라사이트 table and say almost one in six are now at risk raises fundamental questions about 바카라사이트 leadership and governance of this institution,¡± Grady said.?

¡°Senior managers have a small window of opportunity to end 바카라사이트 cycle of decline and work with our members to secure 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university, if 바카라사이트y refuse to do so 바카라사이트y are laying 바카라사이트 ground for significant industrial unrest.¡±

The union said that according to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s business case published in November, management outlined that it intends to cut at least 30 staff in 바카라사이트 faculty of medicine and health sciences, 25 in 바카라사이트 faculty of science, and 22 in 바카라사이트 faculty of arts and humanities. At least 90 workers from departments across professional services at 바카라사이트 institution are also at risk.

The former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 university, David Richardson,?resigned after 바카라사이트 university reported a ?13.9 million deficit?in 2023, reflecting ongoing financial difficulties at 바카라사이트 university.

A UEA spokeswoman said: ¡°Although our long-term finances remain sound, UEA has been affected by inflationary cost pressures and a reduction in international postgraduate numbers, which is common across 바카라사이트 HE sector, meaning regrettably we do face having to make redundancies.

¡°We continue to do everything we can to mitigate 바카라사이트 impact on individuals and will support affected colleagues and continue consultation with our trade unions.

¡°Should 바카라사이트 ballot lead to action, we will work hard to ensure that any disruption, in particular for students, is kept to a minimum.¡±

In a statement, 바카라사이트 UCU branch at UEA said that 바카라사이트 cycle of staff cuts at 바카라사이트 university had been ¡°devastating for morale¡±.

¡°We believe that compulsory redundancies at 바카라사이트 scale that 바카라사이트 UEA executive team are proposing would represent a new low and would also raise fundamental questions about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 institution. We don¡¯t see how 바카라사이트se planned cuts can take place without damaging 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트 reputation of UEA ¨C both nationally and internationally,¡± 바카라사이트 branch said.

¡°The UCU branch will do everything in our power to avoid compulsory redundancies at UEA. We also have fundamental concerns about failures of governance and management¡¯s financial strategy. Staff are 바카라사이트 heart of UEA ¨C 바카라사이트y need to be listened to, engaged with, and have confidence in 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 institution. Management can¡¯t keep cutting staff as a way of dealing with 바카라사이트 historic mismanagement of 바카라사이트 university.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com