University of East Anglia (UEA) bosses seem unable to answer the most simple questions about how they got sucked into a financial black hole, UNISON warns today.
The union, which represents hundreds of cleaners, librarians, security guards and other professional services staff at the university, said UEA leaders appear to have no plan for getting out of the crisis.
UEA announced in January that it was £14 million in the red and may need to make compulsory redundancies. Since then, the deficit has risen to £30m.
Unions and university leaders attended a meeting with universities minister Robert Halfon this week organised by Norwich South MP Clive Lewis.
Mr Halfon left UEA chiefs floundering as he asked simple questions about why UEA is in such a mess compared with similar institutions around the country, UNISON said.
Since the meeting, staff have been told they will not be getting this year’s nationally agreed pay award until 11 months after it is due.
UNISON UEA branch secretary Amanda Chenery-Howes said: “Unions have been asking bosses for weeks to explain why UEA staff face mass sackings while it’s business as usual for their colleagues at other universities.
“They’ve had no answer for us, and now no answer for the minister. What’s worse is they have no plan to get out of this mess other than holding down staff pay.
“But they need to understand that they can’t cut their way out of trouble. Axing courses and slashing the staff who help students study is no way to attract people to the university. All it will do is further harm UEA’s reputation.
“For the sake of staff and students, bosses better get their act together.”