Sinn Féin Economy Minister and Stormont challenged to protect UU Jobs and Magee expansion
Ulster University bosses have been accused of “contributing to further uncertainty for its workforce by pressing ahead with demands for voluntary redundancies, and not ruling out compulsory redundancies”, according to Cllr Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit).
Cllr Harkin added: “Slashing Ulster University’s workforce will have damaging long-term effects.
“Educational provisional will be negativity impacted. Workloads for existing staff will become increasingly unsustainable,” he added.
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“Magee expansion is also directly threatened.
“The Sinn Féin Economy Minister must intervene to protect jobs, education provision and Magee expansion. Sinn Féin representatives joined all party representatives in unanimously backing People Before Profit's Derry City and Strabane Council motion demanding a freeze on redundancies and an urgent intervention by the Economy Minister.
“Pressure must be stepped up on the Economy Minister to ensure intervention happens immediately and is a priority for Stormont.
Magee expansion is also directly threatened.
“This crisis is the outworking of Westminster and Stormont’s failure to properly fund higher education and instead promoting a model based on profiteering and ever higher student tuition costs,” said Cllr Harkin.
“People Before Profit stand with trade unions and will back action by workers to protect jobs, the interests of students and expansion of university provision for Derry and the North West,” he added.
“Billions being wastefully poured into the arms industry to cause death and destruction should be redirected into education."