Union warns of hundreds of redundancies at Yorkshire universities

UNISON is warning hundreds of jobs are at risk from a £150m shortfall at universities across Yorkshire and Humberside.

The union said that the combined budget shortfall at six of the region’s universities puts higher education in a ‘perilous position’.

Of the 11 institutions across the region at which UNISON represents workers, six have reported significant holes in their finances including University of Hull, University of York, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Sheffield, Leeds Trinity University and University of Bradford.

UNISON said that more than a decade of cuts by successive Conservative governments has contributed to the deficits.

A combination of tuition fees, Brexit, a drop in international student numbers and inflationary pressures have also been factors which, says UNISON, puts hundreds of jobs at risk in addition to the swathes of cuts already made.

It added that if such drastic proposals go ahead, the impact will be felt well beyond the institutions involved and the knock-on effect will also be apparent in local economies as a drop in student numbers will mean less money being spent locally.

Leonie Sharp, UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside higher education lead, said: “The higher education sector is in a dire position, but it could become even worse if proposed cuts by universities go ahead.

“Over the past 14 years, the Conservative government failed to fund the sector properly and did nothing to make up for the real terms fall in the value of tuition fees.

“Anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies have also made the UK’s universities less attractive and led to a significant fall in international student levels, which has further worsened the funding crisis.

“UNISON is calling for proper state funding for all public services, including universities. The union will defend and support those facing redundancy. University leaders should be campaigning for sufficient funding instead of attempting to fix the problem by cutting jobs and reducing pay.”

The union said that at the University of Sheffield, 1,300 members of staff have been affected by restructure with hundreds at risk of redundancy while at the University of Bradford between 200 and 300 jobs at risk.

Elsewhere, job losses already confirmed at universities across the region included 206 at the University of Hull, 270 at the University of York, more than 500 at Sheffield Hallam University, 201 at Leeds Beckett University and around 180 at the University of Huddersfield.