Protest at University of Winchester over job cuts

The protest will take place from 2pm today outside the King Alfred Centre on the university campus.  

The University of Winchester wants to cut the staff as part of plans to close courses in the faculties of humanities and social sciences, business and digital technologies, and education and the creative arts.  

UCU said the proposals jeopardise the careers of staff during a cost-of-living crisis. Staff at risk have been given only three weeks to accept voluntary severance packages before the university moves to compulsory redundancies. The university is only offering as little as three months' pay for those who agree to leave voluntarily despite holding £21.8m cash in the bank. 

UCU regional official Moray McAulay said: 'Our members are protesting against these job cuts because we do not accept that staff have to lose their livelihoods and believe management has not looked at alternatives like voluntary reductions in hours. Senior managers have also failed to answer questions from those at risk of losing their jobs. This has left staff morale at an all-time low with many now feeling unable to plan their lives or make a professional investment in the institution.

'The University of Winchester should be investing in staff and students, instead these proposals jeopardise the careers of staff during a cost-of-living crisis and leave students with fewer learning opportunities. They are bad for staff and bad for students.'