University staff and students to protest as jobs go and compulsory redundancy notices served
Compulsory job losses "a red line" that will affect students too, said staff at Cardiff Metropolitan University
Staff and students are joining forces to protest against compulsory job losses at Cardiff Metropolitan University. The rally at the Llandaff campus on Thursday May 22 is the start of an "escalating campaign" against the cuts, the UCU union, representing staff said. The UCU said that despite getting a £1.73m funding boost from the Welsh Government in February, Cardiff Met still aims to cut up to 14% of its teaching workforce with compulsory redundancy notices served in April. The proposed compulsory redundancies come on the back of three rounds of voluntary severance..
"Collective consultation closed on Monday May 19th and despite calls from the union, Cardiff Met continues to threaten compulsory redundancies for up to 61 academic staff members across the university, with over 100 put on notice of being at risk," the UCU said.
Gareth Lloyd, UCU Wales official said:'This is very disappointing. The Minister for FE and HE made it clear that the additional cash should be used to cover operating costs and take pressure off staff budgets. Whilst we are keen to work in partnership and find solutions, compulsory redundancies constitute a red line which cannot be crossed. When it comes to saving money, we will never let managers see our members' jobs as the path of least resistance'. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
Llandaff campus, Cardiff Metropolitan University
He said staff are worried not just for those whose jobs are at risk but also the workload for potential remaining staff and the effect on next year's students.
Owen Stickler, senior lecturer in animation, said: 'We are all concerned that redundancies would impact on staff workload and morale as well as being detrimental to the student experience.'
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Most of the academic jobs on the line are 'student facing' with implications for learners as well as staff, the union said. The cuts will inevitably involve larger classes and less one to one contact time for students, staff warned.
Jan Huyton, programme director at the university, said: 'Obviously the student experience will be affected as services are put under strain, because we are not currently over-staffed on service delivery to students.'
UCU negotiators at Cardiff Met have submitted their counter proposal outlining how the university can move forward without compulsory redundancies.
A branch spokesperson from Cardiff Met UCU said: "We realise that these are tough times for universities, but cutting front line staff is not the way forward. We have met with all of the members at risk, and the institutional loss of academic knowledge would be substantial".
Staff morale is said to be "at rock bottom". Those who have been identified are equally perplexed as many of them are previously valued staff with excellent track records.
One member of staff affected said: "I find it deeply concerning that we are in this position, especially because of the contribution we have made to all aspects of academic life over the past few years; excellent student reviews, high quality research and increasing innovation, without a hint of management unhappiness.
"It appears very unfair and unjustifiable that we have suddenly been targeted as being at-risk of redundancy. This situation is affecting morale and good will among the staff, something which has always considered to be very important working at Cardiff Met.']
A Cardiff Met spokesperson said: 'Cardiff Metropolitan University, like many universities across the UK, is working hard to safeguard its long-term financial sustainability in the face of changing contexts for higher education in the UK. We are doing this so that we can continue to make a positive difference to individuals and communities in Wales and the wider world through our progressive and distinctive teaching, research and innovation.
'We know that this is an uncertain and difficult time for all staff, and especially for those who are directly affected. We value the relationship that we have with our recognised trades unions and the contribution that they make to our university, and we fully respect the rights of trades unions to act on behalf of their members.
"We are committed to open, constructive dialogue and will continue working closely with all recognised trade unions and their representatives throughout this challenging period.'
Cardiff Met currently employs 1,600 permanent and fixed term staff and has more thanr 31,000 students from 130 countries enrolled on programmes located in Cardiff and at 12 "collaborative partners" around the globe.
It said the £1.73m funding was provided to universities across Wales from Welsh Government earlier this year was to help them meet capital costs associated with estate maintenance and digital projects to reduce operating costs as well as improving environmental sustainability.
"This work, when undertaken, will allow us to make more savings in the future," the spokesperson added.
Thursday's planned rally follows protests at Cardiff University over proposed job losses and department closures there. Job cuts are also planned at the University of South Wales and Bangor.
Cardiff University last week issued an update on redundancies with 650 staff still under threat of losing their jobs there and you can read details of that here.
Bangor University staff also received a message from their Vice Chancellor, Professor Edmund Burke last week, saying a further 78 jobs will go there. Bangor announced 200 job cuts earlier this year saying it needed to make savings of £15m.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David announced plans in January to end undergraduate teaching at its Lampeter campus, the University of South Wales have also announced job cuts and Swansea University is carrying out a "curriculum review"..
Official estimates from Universities Wales puts the joint combined deficit of all universities here at £70+ by the end of this academic year. Only UWTSD and Wrexham University ended last academic year not in deficit.
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MPs are due to hear from Vice chancellors of universities in Wales when they appear before them to discuss the ongoing financial pressure and challenges for higher education. The Welsh Affairs Committee hearing next month will look at what the UK Government and the Welsh Government could do to "ensure a sustainable future for the sector" amid widespread job and course cuts.
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