Union calls for halt to estimated 100 job losses at City of Bristol College

The union has branded the plans a 'slash and burn' of staff and the college's provision as it attempts to turn a £10m deficit into a £0.5m surplus.

UCU has called for the cuts to be halted, the governing body to resign and for extra funding to support the college.

The college has announced that at least 50 plus full-time lecturing jobs are to go, along with at least 50 support staff posts. The job losses come on top of approximately 150 previous teaching posts that have been lost over the past three years. In January 2016, Ofsted branded the college 'inadequate'.

UCU has found there is strong support amongst members for industrial action over job losses. In a consultative ballot, 91% of those who voted, voted in favour of strike action.

UCU regional official, Nick Varney, said: 'City of Bristol College has clearly been mismanaged over a long period of time but we do not think that this slash and burn of staff and provision is the answer to its problems. It will threaten the future viability of the college, which is currently a major regional centre of further education.

'It is ironic that the management of the college, faced with an Ofsted report that calls for better achievement amongst students, should think that this can be achieved by cutting teaching jobs, reducing teaching time, and increasing class sizes to unsustainable levels.

'We call for these proposed cuts to be halted, the immediate resignation of the governing body, and for additional fresh start funding.'