Sask Polytech lays off staff while looking to hire more managers
For immediate release May 10, 2017
SGEU has learned that while academic and support staff are being laid off to deal with budget cuts, Saskatchewan Polytechnic continues to create additional managerial positions.
“It’s frustrating that Sask Polytech would claim that budget cuts are forcing it to eliminate much-needed staff positions, and then promptly turn around and hire new managers,” says Bonnie Bond, chair of SGEU’s Professional Services Bargaining Unit (PSBU), which represents non-academic staff at Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
“This is just rubbing salt in the wound for employees.”
PSBU has raised concerns with Sask Polytech’s leadership about the rapidly increasing number of managerial positions at the institute during the last three years. In the 2015-16 academic year alone, the number of managerial positions increased by 33%, from 113 to 150.
“They have added more levels of bureaucracy, instead of directing funds to front-line student instruction and support,” says Bond.
On April 26, only a week after Sask Polytech gave layoff notices to 23 employees, both SGEU and the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association were notified that the institute intends to hire for another newly-created managerial position.
SGEU is calling on the leadership of Saskatchewan Polytechnic to recognize the negative message they’re sending to staff and students by laying off frontline employees, then immediately giving notice that they intend to hire another management position.
Bond says the institute should be looking to make more efficient use of its existing management complement.
“The funds that are being spent to increase the size of the Sask Polytech’s management team should instead be used to maintain existing staff positions and to fill the numerous positions that have been left vacant. This will ensure that students can continue to depend on the services those workers provide to achieve their training and educational goals,” says Bond.
“It makes no sense to be adding managerial positions at the cost of those who actually deliver crucial instructional and support services.”
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For further information contact:
Bonnie Bond
Bargaining Chair, Professional Services Bargaining Unit
306.370.7488
Susan Dusel
Communications Officer
306.775.7249
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