The University of Saskatchewan has completed another series of massive layoffs. Sixty-five support workers have been let go over the past few days.
“The government has had a role to play in this, and has deliberately underfunded post-secondary education in this province,” said Wayne Foley, president of CUPE 1975, the union responsible for lost staff.
The latest cuts bring the total number of support workers being let go to about 100. Many of them are electricians and tradespeople.
The university plans to hire new staff to pick up some of the staff, but most of the new jobs will come with a smaller pay cheque.
Several job ads are already posted on the university’s website. There are 26 postings for “building services” technicians and 11 postings for labourers.
“The purpose here is to enhance the customer service to the campus, to do it more effectively,” said Barb Diagle, associate vice president of human resources for the university.
The university said they can do more with less, but CUPE doesn’t agree. Foley said students and their parents should hold the university accountable for the education and services provided to them.
The latest round of layoffs marks the end of the work force adjustment when it comes to employees. “The magnitude of the number of layoffs here, this won’t be repeated again. So this will be done by the end of this week,” Daigle said.
The cuts are part of the university’s efforts to avoid a deficit that was forecast to reach $44.5 million by 2016.
