Following a 7.3-per-cent decrease to its government operating grant, Athabasca University (AU) has resorted to layoffs. In the spring, 44 staff members (24 in Athabasca) were laid off, and AU recently announced a second round of layoffs, which include temporary layoffs for support staff and permanent layoffs for faculty.
John O’Brien, manager of media relations for AU, said this was a last resort.
“We didn’t want to take this step, and we are in a position where we have to balance the budget, and we don’t have any tools left in our toolbox.”
O’Brien said though Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) and Athabasca University Faculty Association (AUFA) bargained with AU for months, no agreement was reached.
AU wanted the union staff to take 10 voluntary days unpaid.
“The voluntary 10 days would have had the same effect, but it would have given the staff an option to pick the days that suited them best,” he said. “It would have allowed the university to spread the pay cuts over 12 months.
“Now, unfortunately, what is going to happen is that their pay is going to be deducted for the day that they are laid off in that month,” he said of AUPE staff. “Since the union wouldn’t agree to that, this is the route we had to take.”
O’Brien said the layoff tactic the university is using is allowed under the AUPE agreement.
“What is happening with AUPE is that under the contract, the university is allowed to temporarily lay off employees and recall them. That is under Article 10 of the AUPE agreement; it gives the university the ability to do that.”
O’Brien said the university is trying to lessen the effects of the layoffs.
“It means we are going to be reducing operations on the days that we are going to have to be laying off people,” he said. “We are trying to minimize the impact operationally, but there will be some impact, obviously.”
AUPE represents more than 270 support staff at the university, and according to the union, most are at risk of being temporarily laid off.
“This unilateral decision will not only have a serious affect on our members’ livelihoods, but it’s also another economic blow to the Town of Athabasca and will damage the quality of education that AU students are paying for,” said Guy Smith, president of AUPE, in a press release. “We will launch legal action, lay a formal complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board and file policy grievances.”
Employees were notified last Friday of the layoffs, which amount to at least eight days without pay throughout the year.
AUPE states the total number of lost working days will be 2,160, and that the layoffs will allow the university to save approximately $500,000.
These layoffs will impact AU greatly, according to Kevin Davediuk, AUPE staff negotiator.
“If these layoffs go through, it will amount to the elimination of thousands of working hours that should have been spent updating students’ records, maintaining equipment and directly supporting students,” said Davediuk in the release. “The income reduction will be felt in the community, where the employees won’t have as much money to spend at local businesses. The previous round of job cuts has already drained millions from the Town of Athabasca’s economy.”
Athabasca University expected a two per cent increase to its funding this year; instead, its funding was cut.
“Our economy is booming and Alberta needs more skilled workers,” said Smith. “Instead, (Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education Thomas) Lukaszuk is forcing program closures, student-space reductions and generally eroding the quality of advanced education in the province.”
