SOAS and UNISON agree next stages of Transformation & Change Programme

18 September 2020

SOAS has had to take tough decisions to deal with the scale of the financial impact of Covid-19. The School has sought to be clear, transparent and honest about the steps we are taking. Our Transformation & Change plan , if fully implemented, puts our finances on a stable footing.

It enables us to invest and strengthen teaching, research and student services, while being true to our ethos, values and heritage. It is early days but we’re now on the road to recovery.

We have always been clear that any compulsory redundancies would be very limited and an absolute last resort, when other cost savings options were exhausted.

We are pleased to confirm a targeted redeployment programme for professional services staff still at risk of redundancy.

We are pleased to confirm the following agreement with Unison:

  • SOAS commits to no compulsory redundancies for the professional services staff remaining at risk, as part for the Transformation & Change programme;
  • SOAS will implement an extended three-month redeployment period (1st October to 31st December 2020);
  • SOAS and Unison will together review any outstanding cases remaining at the end of the extended redeployment period;
  • SOAS has more than 30 posts within the new professional services structure (from a total of some 400 posts) still available for redeployment.

Our agreement is the next stage in implementing the 2020/21 Budget and Transformation & Change programme, as agreed by the Board of Trustees on 30th July .

Interim Director, Professor Graham Upton, has written to all staff to set out the details.

Unison will no longer be taking the industrial action it had planned for next week.

We are still looking to come to an agreement with UCU with whom we are continuing to have meaningful dialogue, and will keep staff updated.

For further information, contact:

comms@soas.ac.uk

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