The University is engaged in collective consultation with UCU, over proposed redundancies in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (HLS). A revised process announced last week, reduces the number of colleagues potentially at risk of redundancy from 47 to 32. The University’s total workforce is approximately 7,000.
Making proposals of redundancy is a difficult decision for any organisation and we are working hard to limit the impact, including offering potentially affected colleagues a significant voluntary severance package. We believe the amended process and criteria demonstrates a considered response to the representations made by UCU, which represents around 20% of the University workforce, and it is regrettable that industrial action has been called before this consultation process has even concluded.
We recognise that industrial action will be a cause of concern for staff and students alike, and we are particularly disappointed that it has been called during our students’ assessment period, after this already challenging academic year. The University has processes in place to help keep any disruption to a minimum and is prioritising this. Every effort is being made to resolve the dispute with UCU and we will continue to keep colleagues and students updated.