UCU anger at universities' refusal to recognise real problem of job losses

A statement from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) failed to recognise that staff losing their jobs represented a problem for higher education and misrepresented the scale of the problem.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'I am absolutely furious that the employers have shown such little concern for staff losing their jobs. I know I should not be surprised as this is a classic UCEA tactic, but it is still incredibly insulting. Our information on job losses is based on information from our members and is merely the tip of the iceberg. We represent academic and academic-related staff so for UCEA to pull a percentage figure out of the air based on all staff in higher education is misleading and incorrect.
 
'The bottom line here is that we do not yet have anywhere like the full picture of job losses to hit higher education. We are giving a snapshot as things stand based on information we have managed to get out of the institutions. Rather than quibbling over the current figures, the employers should be making clear exactly what the scale of the problem is and talking to us to minimise any redundancies.
 
'UCEA's comments have exposed their contempt for the higher education sector, staff and students and a complete failure to recognise a serious problem or address it.'