University of Reading row over job advert in department hit by compulsory redundancies

This follows revelations that it is advertising for a new job in the department, despite the fact that it has proposed two compulsory redundancies, out of a total of 13 academic staff, and is supposed to be committed to a process to avoid compulsory redundancies.

Members of the local UCU branch say plans to make the two staff compulsory redundant at the same time as advertising for a new position prejudices the formal consultation process about compulsory job losses.
 
The redundancies in the department come as the university is building a new £11.4m home for the department funded directly by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), further puzzling staff as to the possible justification for the decision. The union said that a ballot for industrial action over the issue could not be ruled out.
 
Last week the university added the threat of compulsory redundancy in the Film, Theatre and Television department to the existing threats in the department of Classics and department of Biology, Chemistry and Systems Engineering. Redundancies are also taking place in the Continuing Education and Health and Social Care departments.

Reading UCU representative Dr Timothy Astin said, 'The advertisement for a new external appointment in the Film, Theatre and Television department prejudices the formal compulsory redundancy consultation process, which is supposed to seek to avoid compulsory redundancies. We call on the University of Reading to withdraw this advertisement and to commit to saving the jobs of existing staff.'