Telford New College protest over redundancies plan

Teachers and students at a Wellington college today held a protest against planned compulsory redundancies.

The demonstration at New College attracted about 80 people to the front of the King Street campus.

Protesters claimed the consultation period on the proposed cuts at the college were confusing, contradictory and should be extended.

The campaigners said the college had proposed the redundancies to regain money lost from cuts to Government grants.

Julian Dean, a teacher in the performing arts at the college, said the redundancies could be avoided by better planning of future budgets.

He said: "We believe the principal proposal of up to 10-compulsory redundancies by September - targetted as specific departments - are unfair, rushed and not based on any sound planning or consultation.

"Apparently jobs losses are inevitable because of cuts in Government funding but the figures we have seen show the college is functioning well financially.

"These redundancies could be avoided with better planning of our budgets.

"Confusingly the consultation period for what we will teach in the future at the college it not yet over, meaning the redundancies could be made without knowing if those teachers will be needed in the future, it just doesn't make sense.

"This is a rushed job and the time given to it should be extended."

Mr Dean and other protestors handed out letters about the cuts to college stakeholders at the rally.