Workers at Red Deer College were reportedly informed this week of job reductions.
The college told Alberta Union of Provincial Employees members that 14 full-time workers would see their hours reduced and that three people would see their jobs abolished. Two more layoffs were blamed on the pandemic.
The positions affected are in a number of areas, including advising and recruiting; information technology; library and student supports; facilities management; marketing and communications; office of the registrar; print centre; and the school of health sciences.
Red Deer College’s Campus Alberta operating grant will be cut next year by 7.4 per cent, or about $3.6 million, says the union. This is in addition to the 2.4 per cent, or $1.2 million cut this year.
In a message to staff, the college said: “This is much more significant than we anticipated – our worst-case planning scenario was a reduction of three per cent for next year,” according to the union.
The college did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
“It is so frustrating to see these unnecessary job cuts damage colleges and universities, just when Albertans need post-secondary education more than ever,” said AUPE vice-president Bobby-Joe Borodey in a statement.
“Rather than adding to the already massive unemployment lines and cutting education services, this government should be investing in colleges. Post-secondary education could be used to help workers retrain or upgrade their skills to help this province out of a recession,” she said.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
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