'Prospect of expanding Magee to 10,000 students is effectively dead in the water' - UNITE the Union
Council calls for pause in UU redundancies and no compulsory redundancies
A special meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council has unanimously agreed to write to Ulster University (UU) vice chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew, “supporting the combined trade union demand for a pause in redundancies and to rule out compulsory redundancies”.
The measure, a response to UU’s announcement on April 15, 2026 it was cutting 450 jobs across its campuses, was part of a motion proposed by Cllr Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit) and seconded by Gary Donnelly (Independent).
The motion followed a presentation to councillors on Tuesday afternoon by UU trade union representatives: Edward Carlsson Browne (UNITE the Union); Danielle McCusker (UNISON); and Paddy Mackle (University and College Union).
According to Mr Carlsson Browne UU’s indicative timetable has the redundancy scheme opening in September 2026, with the first redundancies occurring between April and July 2027.
There are also real concerns about the sustainability of current provision for students and the prospect of cuts in student numbers in future years
He added if job losses were proportional across UU, 108 jobs would be lost at Magee, which would have a direct impact on the local economy of more than £5m as a consequence of job losses.
“It would also have an indirect impact on local suppliers and partners of the University as it ceases to carry out non-core activities,” added Mr Carlsson Browne.
“The prospect of expanding Magee to 10,000 students is effectively dead in the water and new buildings funded by City Deals may still be completed but are likely to lie empty.
“There are also real concerns about the sustainability of current provision for students and the prospect of cuts in student numbers in future years.
“This is happening because teaching grants have been stagnant since 2009/10. Factoring in inflation, this equates to a real-terms cut in government support of more than 60%.
“There is also a broken Higher Education funding model across all parts of the UK. UU faces higher costs because of its multi-campus model and receives no support for these costs from Stormont. It is also experiencing a 6% cut in future support because of the failure of the Executive to agree a budget,” said Mr Carlsson Browne.
He added that UNITE’s priorities included a commitment from UU ruling out compulsory redundancies and a focus on those University employees earning the lowest salaries.
This [redundancy] decision disproportionately affects our lowest paid employees, many of whom are women
“UU must restore the recently-removed uplift to the Foundation Living Wage,” said Mr Carlsson Browne.
Danielle McCusker highlighted Unison’s members in UU “make up the vital teams of support, technical and back-office workers who are the lifeblood of the university. Staff such as lab technicians, student support officers, teaching and learning assistants, administrators and staff in reception, catering, maintenance and security roles.”
She added: “This [redundancy] decision disproportionately affects our lowest paid employees, many of whom are women. It also sends the wrong message at a time when staff are already facing uncertainty about their futures.
“Those who can least afford it are being asked to bear the burden of the financial pressures they did not create.
“Rather than reducing the pay of low paid workers, the focus should be on securing sustainable funding and strengthening the financial governance to protect both jobs and the quality of the education the university provides.
“There was a discussion last week with UU around, if the highest earners did not get a pay rise, would that help to mitigate and reduce the job losses? And they said it wouldn’t really help at all because it would only be a saving of £150,000. But that was the same figure they saved when they took away the 50p top-up for the lowest paid.
“UU has got its priorities wrong. We do recognise, as trade unions, the financial challenges facing Higher Education but staff should not pay the price of long-term funding failures,” said Ms McCusker.
Paddy Mackle said it was UCU’s view “if this level of job loss was announced in any other industry, the political establishment would be falling over themselves to appear on the media at every opportunity to demand concrete action to overturn such a devastating decision”.
He added: “It is disappointing for our members that, apart from a Page 14 Page 3 of 5 few laudable exceptions, most politicians and political parties have been largely silent since the announcement. That needs to change.
“The unions acknowledge that the university is facing difficult financial challenges. We do not accept, however, as the university has repeatedly argued, that imposing an even greater financial burden on students by increasing tuition fees is the answer.
“Students didn’t create this mess, and they shouldn’t be expected to pay for it,” said Mr Mackle.
Cllr Harkin’s full motion read: “Council will write to the Ulster University (UU) Vice Chancellor supporting the combined trade union demand for a pause in redundancies and to rule out compulsory redundancies.
“Council calls on UU to reinstate the 50p top-up for low-paid workers.
“Council calls for UU to fully engage constructively with trade unions representing workers to avoid redundancies.
Most politicians and political parties have been largely silent since the announcement. That needs to change.
“Council will write to the Economy Minister, and the Stormont Executive, to commend the decision ruling out proposals to increase tuition fees and to meet with Council to clarify how the Department for Economy and the Stormont Executive plan to protect jobs across UU and Magee expansion.
“Council supports trade union demands for a multi-campus funding model and seeks clarification from the Stormont Executive on how this will be implemented.
“Council will write to Secretary of State, Chris Bryant, requesting an urgent meeting and clarification on British government plans to ensure Magee expansion proceeds as agreed, to protect jobs across Ulster University and to create a new funding model that will protect higher education provision.”
A motion proposed by Alderman Derek Hussey (UUP) and seconded by Alderman Janice Montgomery (UUP) was also passed unanimously at the special meeting.
It stated: “Council will write and ask that, in the interests of transparency, Ulster University publish their 5 year Business Plan subsequent to their staff reductions”.