Cutbacks at the University of Victoria has resulted in the layoff of at least 24 employees so far, as departments seek to cut four per cent from their budgets this year.

Melissa Moroz, labour relations officer for the Professional Employees Association, calls it a B次元官网网址渧ery sad situationB次元官网网址� that UVic handed pink slips to two dozen of their full-time workers, including some whoB次元官网网址檝e been employed at the university since the 1980s.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 devastating to these peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives, and it will directly impact services to both faculty and students,B次元官网网址� Moroz said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 only so much people can do.B次元官网网址�

The lost jobs will come from a variety of places, she said, adding many of the employees work in technical support, scientific support and research support. Some of those laid off are already gone, while others will continue to work until spring 2013.

Moroz called this an B次元官网网址渦nprecedented amount of layoffs.B次元官网网址� SheB次元官网网址檚 seen one-off job losses in the past due to organizational changes, but never anything near to this many at once. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of uneasiness and fear thatB次元官网网址檚 been generated as a result of these layoffs.B次元官网网址�

A 2012-13 budget framework document on UVicB次元官网网址檚 website cites inflation pressure and decreased or flat post-secondary funding from government as reasons for consecutive four-per-cent budget reductions over the next two school years.

Gayle Gorrill, vice president finance and operations, confirmed the university is planning for budget reductions of four per cent effective April 1, 2013.

Given that salaries and benefits comprise almost 80% of our total operating budget, there will unfortunately be some job losses.  Where there are job losses, we have provided compensation consistent with the terms of the agreements with our employees.

Tom Smith, the universityB次元官网网址檚 executive director of facilities management spoke to the ways his department is meeting budget demands.

He expects to lose eight janitors in the next two years through attrition, and the frequency of vacuuming and garbage collection from many places on campus will be reduced, as well, beginning in January.

B次元官网网址淚nstead of a janitor being responsible for an average 27,000 square feet of building, theyB次元官网网址檒l be responsible for 29,000 square feet of building. In order to do that, they have to stop doing certain things,B次元官网网址� Smith said.

Cleaning of classrooms and offices will be reduced from five times a week to three. Waste removal in private offices and cubicles will be reduced from twice weekly to once a week.

Washrooms, lounges, hallways, entrances, science labs and research spaces will not see a reduction in janitorial service levels.

"Everything you do (to meet budget demands) has an impact," Smith says. "I think everybody's looking for ways to reduce their budget in ways other than affecting people."

Rob Park, president of CUPE 917 at UVic, says reducing janitorial levels affects temporary workers in his union in the immediate future.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lots of temporary workers up at UVic who are given an appointment for five months or whatever,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲hat the universityB次元官网网址檚 doing is reducing the service levels so there isnB次元官网网址檛 work for them.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e concerned that UVic seems to be cutting what we consider to be core services. We think they could probably make the cuts elsewhere,B次元官网网址� adds Greg Melnechuk, president of CUPE 4163. His union represents sessional instructors. While there havenB次元官网网址檛 been layoffs there, he says the number of classes offered continues to decrease.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had a 14-per-cent drop for our sessional instructors in work for them in the last two years. This is directly impacting education up at UVic,B次元官网网址� Melnechuk said.

UVic Faculty Association president Doug Baer said his members arenB次元官网网址檛 seeing layoffs, but theyB次元官网网址檒l be impacted by the cuts elsewhere. He suspects the universityB次元官网网址檚 financial position isnB次元官网网址檛 as bad as itB次元官网网址檚 being made out to be.

B次元官网网址淭here is some concern out there that the cuts are excessive, given the financial position of the university. I am of the view that the university resources do not appear to justify the level of cutbacks weB次元官网网址檙e seeing,B次元官网网址� Baer said.

"I think it's short-sighted to not invest in education," added Moroz of the PEA, pointing to greater need from the provincial government. "It all just comes down to priority. Is funding post-secondary education a priority for people in British Columbia?"

kslavin@saanichnews.com