HudUCU Message from the Chair

The university has announced yet more redundancies, this time affecting every school and service across the entire institution. These draconian cuts come at a time when the university has tens of millions of pounds in the bank and is spending huge sums on yet more shiny new buildings. It also follows release of the 2022-23 financial statement (available on the university web site) that shows a further £18K pay rise for the VC, already one of the highest paid VCs in the country.

The cuts include course closures and the restructuring (i.e. reducing) of student support, which will unquestionably have an adverse impact on the student experience. Around 200 of our colleagues are slated to lose their jobs. UCU, along with our UNISON colleagues, will fight these cuts. We call on the university to halt the compulsory redundancies and to enter into a period of real negotiation over the future of this institution.

We hope all members will join our on-line AGM this Wednesday at 3.30PM. Details and a Teams link have been circulated by email.

Huddersfield Announces Huge Cuts

• 12% redundancies
• Potentially 200 individuals affected
• No voluntary redundancy scheme

A message from UCU Huddersfield to our members:

Staff have received a message from the Vice Chancellor announcing wide-scale redundancies across the University. Not only will this round of redundancies affect all schools and services, it is unprecedented in the number of people it will affect. Among academic staff, 309 individuals are at risk. The situation is compounded by the absence of a voluntary redundancy scheme. All redundancies will be compulsory and departing staff will receive statutory redundancy payments only.

Please also be aware that we will be meeting with the regional UCU officials very soon to discuss our strategy, including the possibility of local strike action to fight the redundancies. If you have any views on this matter, please let us know.

Also, please remember that we will be holding an AGM on Wednesday the 1st of May. This meeting will be our opportunity to discuss the present situation and our collective response to it. Because of the redundancy-related meetings with the management Gary and Anna will have to attend on that day, we have to move the AMG to 15:30-17:00 (it was previously scheduled for 14:00).

AGM Date and Time: Wednesday, 1st of May 2024, 15:30-17:00

Location: Teams

Finally, while the HR will encourage you to not discuss the redundancies with your colleagues, our advice would be to do the opposite. It is very important to avoid isolation in such difficult circumstances. Please talk to your colleagues and share concerns and ideas.