By Paris Maben-Hume and George Cooke
The Vice Chancellor will be taking a voluntary pay cut as part of cost saving schemes introduced at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Staff received an email from David Richardson with details about the voluntary cost saving scheme, set up due to a £13.9 million loss. This scheme includes:
- Temporary reduction in hours
- Career break
- Reduction in salary
A statement from the UEA Communications Team explained that savings have to be made by autumn 2023 so that long-term financial stability can be built. “It is unlikely all savings can be made without redundancies and staff have now been made aware.”
The loss was caused by a number of factors including the ongoing effects of Covid, rising costs for pay and pensions, and the expected rise in UEA’s energy bill.
What is happening with the UEA strikes?
Today was the second day of strikes taking place across the country. There are eighteen planned strikes. Over 50% of the available teaching days in February are strike days, with more taking place in March.
The head of the UEA branch of the UCU, Michael Kyriacou, explained why these strikes are taking place:
What are other lecturers saying?
There were multiple groups of striking lecturers across the UEA campus- in locations such as the entrance from Cow Drive, and opposite Congregation Hall.
Signs held up by one of the lecturers on strike, made by herself and her child.
It is not known yet whether UEA specific strikes will take place in response to the possible redundancies.
