University of East Anglia bosses face a grilling tomorrow after staff were warned they could face compulsory redundancies, says UNISON.
The university told staff last week that it was “unlikely” to be able to deal with a £13.9 million financial shortfall “without compulsory redundancies.”
University bosses have yet to lay out their cuts plan, but all faculties have been asked to make savings and directors of professional services have been told to slash budgets by between 10% and 20%.
Professional services provide essential university support staff such as cleaning, libraries, security and student services.
But UNISON says the news has come as a shock to staff who were told as recently as last month that finances were healthy.
In the 2021/22 financial statement published in December, UEA says: “The university remains confident that it has in place adequate funding to support the operational and development plans, and to provide a reserve for managing financial risks, over the next five years.”
UNISON will quiz bosses over how that rosy forecast had turned so bleak less than two months after it was published.
Staff from all three campus unions – UNISON, UCU and Unite – will meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss their response to the threat of sackings.
UNISON branch secretary Amanda Chenery-Howes said: “Just last month the university assured us that finances were looking healthy. We’re now told that cuts of up to 20% are on the table.
“Staff are understandably shocked and concerned that their jobs are on the line and the university has serious questions to answer about how we got here.
“Slashing budgets won’t help staff, students or the future of the university.”