McClarty’s UUC jobs fears

AN Independent MLA has said he is concerned about potential job losses at the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster following the proposal to cut up to 200 posts over four years, particularly as they coincide with the University’s £250m expansion plan in Belfast.

“I am disappointed further to learn that the rolling programme of job losses will include compulsory redundancies as well as voluntary redundancies and retirement,” David McClarty told the Times yesterday.

“We are enduring a severe economic climate and I appreciate that most institutions need to tighten their belts to survive, but we need to find alternative ways of saving money rather than the quick and easy option of cutting personnel. Unemployment feeds a recession and cripples the economy.

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“Sacrificing jobs with the aim of saving money is digging ourselves out of a hole, we will only go deeper.”

Mr McClarty added: “I appeal to the University to extensively explore alternative means of saving money to avoid job losses and I press them to reveal more details as soon as possible. I will also lobby the Minister for Employment and Learning to help avoid this situation.