More than 140 jobs at risk at Leeds City College

The University and College Union (UCU) are to ballot over industrial action in response to the college’s plan to reduce full time equivalent posts by 146.

The funding cuts were announced last month in response to central Government reducing further education funding to colleges. Now the college has confirmed how many jobs are a risk.

The UCU has voiced concern over the scale of redundancies the college is planning.

The union’s regional official Julie Kelley said: “We believe cuts of this size would cause real damage to the region’s chances of offering high-quality training and education for students and local businesses.”

She added: “Industrial action is always a last resort, but UCU will be announcing a timetable for the ballots in the next few days and regrettably strike action cannot be ruled out.”

The union is also planning industrial action at Bradford College where job cuts are being proposed.

Leeds City College said it wanted to minimise the need for compulsory redundancies through voluntary severance.

It has previously said that the savings were necessary because of cuts to both its adult skills and 16-18 budgets from central Government.

In a statement it said: “Discussions are on-going with trade union partners and staff as part of the official consultation process for proposed reorganisation.

“The college is extremely disappointed to hear of the UCU proposal to ballot members for strike action at what is a difficult time for staff, and an important time for students completing their studies along with those looking to join the college in September.”

The college has previously said that the cuts could also affect the courses it offers and the number of sites it is able to operate.

The Joseph Priestley campus in Morley, which was a separate college until 2011, is one of those at risk of closure.

The college have said that under its proposals some courses offered there could be moved and may still be offered locally.