Voluntary measures deadline extended for colleagues in University Catering
14 Jul 2020
Colleagues working for UMC Ltd have until 31 August 2020 to apply for voluntary measures including voluntary severance
The extension for colleagues working in University Catering who are employed by UMC Ltd has been given because of the impact COVID-19 is likely to have on the University’s catering and hospitality business.
It is anticipated that there may be up to a 50% reduction in retail catering sales on campus due to fewer staff and students being on campus at the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year. Social distancing also means that some of our catered halls’ occupancy is likely to be reduced by 50%.
Head of Hospitality and Events Alison Shedlock said: “Hospitality and Catering is a commercial operation which is required not to cost the University any money to operate, therefore given the impact of COVID-19 it is likely that the size and shape of University Catering and Hospitality will have to change.
“It is anticipated that we would require approximately 100 fewer job roles across all departments affecting all types of roles, including managers, supervisors, administrators, chefs, kitchen assistants and hospitality service assistants.”
Should the reduction in job roles, working hours and financial savings not be achieved through these voluntary measures, it is likely that the University will have to make further pay savings through various other measures. It is highly unlikely that we will be able to offer further voluntary severance schemes for the foreseeable future.
Colleagues working in University Catering have been written to individually to inform them of the situation and a meeting for UMC staff has been held today (14 July) via Zoom to give more details and the opportunity for staff to ask questions. UNISON, which is UMC's recognised trade union has been informed of the voluntary measures extension and the reasons for it.
The University’s voluntary measures, which include the options of reducing working hours, taking unpaid career breaks and voluntary severance (VS), are open to University staff until Friday, 31 July 2020. The extension until Monday, 31 August 2020 only applies to UMC staff.