Bournemouth University faces protests over job cuts
31 July 2009
UCU has warned Bournemouth University to think again over plans to axe 10 members of staff in the successful and globally-respected School of Conservation Sciences. The school specialises in archaeology, ecology, forensics and geography.
The union has launched a campaign to save the jobs of seven academics and three laboratory technicians by the end of the year, arguing that unrealistic financial targets and poor senior management are to blame for the problems.
The redundancies were originally announced on 5 June. However, the local union branch has been in talks with the university on how to avoid the job losses. Those talks have now collapsed with the union warning that strike action cannot be ruled out at this stage.
UCU representative at Bournemouth University, John Gale, who works in the School of Conservation Sciences, said: 'UCU remains implacably opposed to these redundancies, which are fundamentally a result of poor senior management, bad financial decision making in pre-credit crunch days and the imposition of unrealistic financial targets. We will be stepping up our campaign against the redundancies and doing everything we can to stop them, including potential strike action.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The School of Conservation Sciences is well-respected within its field and internationally. As the government keeps making noises about the importance of science subjects and makes extra student places available, Bournemouth University appears to believe that axing staff is the best way to help. Too often we see vice-chancellors making irrational and unhelpful job cuts when the country and the economy are crying out for the complete opposite to be done. Members of Bournemouth UCU have the full support of the union in their campaign.'
The redundancies were originally announced on 5 June. However, the local union branch has been in talks with the university on how to avoid the job losses. Those talks have now collapsed with the union warning that strike action cannot be ruled out at this stage.
UCU representative at Bournemouth University, John Gale, who works in the School of Conservation Sciences, said: 'UCU remains implacably opposed to these redundancies, which are fundamentally a result of poor senior management, bad financial decision making in pre-credit crunch days and the imposition of unrealistic financial targets. We will be stepping up our campaign against the redundancies and doing everything we can to stop them, including potential strike action.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The School of Conservation Sciences is well-respected within its field and internationally. As the government keeps making noises about the importance of science subjects and makes extra student places available, Bournemouth University appears to believe that axing staff is the best way to help. Too often we see vice-chancellors making irrational and unhelpful job cuts when the country and the economy are crying out for the complete opposite to be done. Members of Bournemouth UCU have the full support of the union in their campaign.'
- PrintPrint this page
- Share
Comments