University chiefs told 'mass staff redundancies' can be avoided

UNION SAYS ITS COUNTER-PROPOSAL SHOWS THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO EASE FINANCIAL PRESSURES

- By JOSHUA HARTLEY

BOSSES at the University of Nottingham have been told to have the “courage to change direction” rather than making what a union has described as mass redundancies.

The university announced in April that it planned to cut more than 300 jobs after bosses concluded a £40 million planned reduction in spending would not be enough to preserve its future.

The Russell Group university intends to reduce its professional service roles by 258 and remove 98 vacant posts during phase one of its “Future Nottingham” cost-cutting programme - but more large-scale job cuts could follow. The planned job cuts have been opposed by the union Unison, which represents the support staff who are currently at risk and is consulting members on whether to strike, and the University and College Union, whose academic members have already voted in favour of industrial action.