Staff Voluntary Exit Scheme halted at Derry's NWRC

The Voluntary Exit Scheme which had been offered to staff at the North’s six further education colleges has been halted.

The move follows discussions last week between Economy Minister Conor Murphy (Sinn Féin) and trade union representatives.

Minister Murphy subsequently asked to be “provided with further advice”  regarding what is officially termed the Further Education Staff Exit Scheme, Derry News understands.

Minister urged to stop 'misguided' FE redundancies

Calls to redirect the money earmarked for redundancies towards a pay settlement in the further education sector

As a result, management of at least one further education college has written to all its staff members saying, “The college will not be able to confirm decisions as previously indicated” adding, “We will update you when in a position to do so”.

The Minister had been urged to stop what  UCU, NASUWT, Unite the Union, NIPSA and GMB described as the “misguided redundancy scheme" at last week’s meeting.

The unions informed the Minister that, prior to the restoration of Stormont, Department for Economy had directed colleges to axe more than 300 jobs from the further education sector. 

They said: “Comparisons are being drawn between enrolment figures in 2018/19 to 21/22. 

“The true picture shows there has been an increase in student recruitment from 21/22 to 22/23, with that trend continuing this academic year.

“The Department had not given colleges sufficient opportunity to recover from the impact of the pandemic before it had instructed widespread cost-cutting.”