Redundancy payout secured for at-risk uni staff

The University of Huddersfield announced plans to cut nearly 200 jobs in April

Staff taking voluntary redundancy as part of plans to cut almost 200 jobs at a West Yorkshire university will receive an extra £5,000 payment, union representatives have said.

The University of Huddersfield wants to axe 198 jobs and at least 12 courses to address what it has described as a "financial crisis in the university sector".

Unison said the payout had been agreed with the university after members had indicated willingness to take industrial action over plans for compulsory redundancies.

The university said it had "worked hard" to reach "an affordable agreement" with staff and their unions.

'Hard won'

Unison said the £5,000 payment would come on top of statutory redundancy pay, with 91% of its members voting to accept the offer.

The union's University of Huddersfield branch secretary Steve Howe said: "Initially, the university wouldn’t budge from its intention of making almost 200 compulsory redundancies. But securing a commitment to looking at voluntary redundancies first is a significant achievement.

“The additional £5,000 payment to all those taking redundancy has been hard won and welcomed by workers."

A spokesperson for the University of Huddersfield said since 2012 undergraduate tuition fees had increased "by only 2.8%, from £9,000 to £9,250, despite inflation surging by over 50%".

"This has precipitated a financial crisis in the university sector, affecting many institutions including ours," they added.

They said they faced a budget deficit for 2023/4, which had been "further exacerbated" by a decline in international students - something it blamed on a change in government policy.

They said further budget pressures included rising staff costs and pension contributions.

Speaking of the additional payment for staff taking redundancy, the spokesperson said: "We worked hard with our staff and their Trade Unions and are pleased to have reached an affordable agreement which benefits those leaving the University this summer.”

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