Managements consultation with UCU regarding the proposed job losses and ‘Fire and Rehire’ closed on Friday 1 July 2022. The branches response to the consultation can be found here. In the final consultation meeing, the UCU negotiators asked the Chair of the Consultation Group appointed by management (Andy Lamb – Executive Director, Human Resources), if our analysis of the current redundancy proposals could be circulated to all Council members, so that they had a balanced view of the situation before making a final decision regarding any redundancies. This, however, was refused. UCU, as the officially recognised representatives of all academic staff members, are disappointed with the silencing of the staff voice in the consultation and decision making process.
At the end of the consultation, the branch were informed that 124 academics applied to take the VR package, so approximately twice as many staff as management stated they needed, and a quarter of all academic staff at our University! This is a clear vote of no confidence in both the management of the University finances by senior management, and the processes by which the senior management team are proposing to make the cuts at the University. In the final consultation meeting the branch negotiators requested that the ‘Fire and Rehire’ strategy, and compulsory redundancy stage be immediately withdrawn, as management are clearly able to make the savings that they claim they need, however the management consultation team refused this approach out of hand.
‘Formal’ offers of a severance package were sent to 70 academics. Other staff who applied for the VR scheme have been put on a ‘reserve’ list and will be informed after 22nd July if they will be offered the VR package. As yet none of these packages have been finally approved, as this decision can only be made by the University Council who are due to next meet on 19 July. A list of the University Council members can be found here and are listed below.
UCU Response to Management Proposals
Current Members of the University Council
Phil Walker (Chair)
Janet Cooper (Vice Chair)
Dennis Hone (Independent Member)
Kevin Thomas (Independent Member)
Sheena Pindoria (Independent Member)
David Sharkey (Independent Member)
Mark Allen (Independent Member with experience in HE from another University)
Dr Christine Carpenter (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Digby Stuart)
Sister Christine Edwards (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Digby Stuart)
Jennifer Coupland (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Froebel)
Vacancy (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Froebel)
Revd Canon Dr Jennifer Smith (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Southlands)
Revd Dr Tim MacQuiban (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Southlands)
Dr Priscilla Chadwick (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Whitelands)
Vacancy (Independent Member nominated by the Colleges – Whitelands)
Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard (Vice Chancellor, Ex Officio)
Farrah Black (Students’ Union President)
Vacancy (Member nominated by Senate)
Vacancy (Member nominated from Academic staff) – At the beginning of the consultation process regarding the redundancies, this position was a member of staff elected by academic staff.
Dr Aleata Alstad-Calkins (Apponted from the Professional Services staff)
Dr George Turner (Secretary, Ex Officio)