Unions fight back as University of Nottingham reveals plans to outsource 125 jobs
Staff at the University of Nottingham are refusing to rule out industrial action after plans to outsource up to 125 IT jobs were revealed.
The plans, which would affect around half of the institution’s IT staff, are being pursued despite a 2017 KPMG review which found that three-quarters of respondents felt it was important to develop and retain an in-house IT service at the University.
The University and College Union (UCU) is urging the University to ditch the proposals and sort out problems with its outsourced student record management system Campus Solutions instead.
Last week the University issued an apology for the “significant anxiety, concern and confusion” caused by the system, which was outsourced to IT company Infosys in 2017.
Infosys is currently the subject of a legal investigation after a whistleblower raised concerns about accounting practices.
Problems with the Campus Solutions system have led to some students being deprived of funds, while many have not received accurate information about when and where their classes are taking place. Reports of stress and related health issues are also on the rise among affected staff.
UCU regional official Sue Davis said: ‘These plans are terrible news for the IT department, but also really bad news for the university as a whole. We cannot believe the university is considering further outsourcing of staff while it is still apologising for ongoing problems with its previous project. We have concerns about the impact on both staff and vulnerable students and instead of hiving off key services, the university should be investing in existing staff to improve the current system for students.
“Previous outsourcing led to a loss of expertise and we anticipate comparable problems under these plans. We are currently in urgent discussions with our members at the university and they will be meeting shortly to consider their full response. We cannot rule out the possibility of industrial action.”
