Cutting twelve jobs at an adult education centre will harm both teachers and pupils, a union has warned.
The management has indicated it will slash Redbridge Institute of Adult Education’s (RIAE) staff roster and teaching hours ahead of the new academic year, which starts in September.
The institute, which manages the centre, has pointed to funding pressures, the University and College Union (UCU) says.
Only frontline staff will be affected, union officials claim, while senior and middle management roles will be left untouched by the restructure.
The RIAE specialises in vocational education for adults pursuing full-time careers. It teaches classes on childcare and health and social care, as well as one-week courses in hospitality and construction.
Jo Grady, general secretary of UCU, said: “Redbridge Institute’s refusal to engage properly with union proposals or take every possible step to avoid compulsory redundancies is deeply disappointing.
“The threatened cuts will hollow out an essential community institution, and the damage to learners, particularly adults returning to education, will be immense.
“We are calling on local Labour politicians, especially the three Labour councillors who sit on the board of governors, to intervene. If Labour is serious about supporting education and workers, it must not stand by while these destructive cuts go ahead.”
The UCU, alongside Unison, GMB and the National Education Union, has unsuccessfully pushed for a phased restructure and for staff to be given the option of voluntary redundancy.
Staff and students will hold a protest on campus on Friday (11 July) at 12.30pm.
Redbridge Council was contacted for comment.
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