Proposals by Leeds City College to save money by cutting vital support for students would have a disastrous effect on those most in need of help, says UNISON today (Thursday).
The college is looking to save around £160,000 in staffing costs, and is currently consulting on redundancies in its independent-learning department.
The staff at risk of losing their jobs provide crucial one-to-one support for students, says UNISON. They deliver a range of services, including help with literacy, digital skills and securing jobs.
The support of these specialists has been a lifeline for many students, as they have learning difficulties or have been learning English as a second language. Some who rely on the staff are refugees who have fled persecution, says the union.
While the college says it would aim to redeploy staff at risk of redundancy, the service they provide would still disappear, says UNISON.
The college has also refused to remove the possibility of compulsory redundancies, despite the availability of roles to redeploy all staff at risk, adds the union. Leeds City College is also proposing making one of the two librarian positions redundant.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Brendan Cafferty said: “A vital service providing crucial support for some of the most vulnerable students at the college would be lost under these proposals.
“The damage that would cause to current students cannot be overstated. The move could also seriously affect the likelihood of vulnerable students applying to the college in future too. The college must do all it can to avoid cuts.”
