News / Education
Open University staff strike over job losses
Open University staff in Bristol went on strike on Wednesday morning after receiving confirmation that their offices would shut as part of a major restructuring.
Seven student support centres will be closed with only Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Manchester and Nottingham remaining open.
Staff received a letter from the university chancellor on Tuesday confirming the institution would be taking the costs-cutting recommendations mooted earlier this year.
Staff on the picket line in Portwall Lane, Redcliffe, told Bristol24/7 the cuts would harm students. “The decision is ill-thought out and the academics are strongly against this,” they said in a joint statement.
“No business plan or evidence has been seen as to how this is going to improve service to students or save money. It is only going to harm the most vulnerable students.”
In a letter to staff, vice chancellor Peter Horrocks said: “This decision is not a reflection on the dedicated support you provide to students which has continued during this time of uncertainty.”
He added that the restructuring meant that “much-needed improvements” could be made to student support services.
The University and College Union said the student support centre closures would put 502 jobs at risk. The Bristol centre employs about 60 people.
The restructuring of Open University follows a fall in part-time study which has led to a loss of more than a quarter of total students over the past five years and run up a £17 million deficit in 2013-14.
The Open University has been in its Redcliffe offices since 1991.
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