Redundancy and unemployment

[Fishfinger]

A relative who was furloughed by a major theatre has just been told by management that:

• half of the workforce will be let go
• those who are not let go, will have their hours cut by 50%
• so their salaries will be halved

Voluntary redundancy is available. I don't understand how any of this is tenable for anyone.

Any advice?

[Capt.Midnight]

I was made redundant two years ago under a company wide administration. It was a stressful time, but the place was a toxic, neoliberal hellscape, so it all worked out in the end. Anyway, an absolute legend from a senior department came into our office and told us to put our name and email on a sheet. Apparently we weren't given the appropriate notice of potentially losing our jobs. Had this guy not come in and instructed us off his own back, we would have been none the wiser. Our details were then given to a legal firm to handle. Fast forward to 9 months later and I get a cheque in the post for £2900 for having worked there just under a year. Last week, I received my official redundancy pay from Deloitte, a big fat cheque for £5.01.

Anyway, sorry to hear that. It might not be applicable, but it's always worth looking into whether the company are following due process at all times. Sounds like the theatre is in a nose dive. In 'normal' times, it's often better to cut your losses and run rather than stay behind on a sinking ship. If your relative has got any savings, it might be worth an aggressive job search in any sector. Part-time jobs seem easier to obtain, but it may be preferable to try all this now as opposed to further down the line...

[Jockice]

A friend of mine worked for BA as a cabin staff member. As did her husband. They'd both spent most of their working lives there. Until the pandemic gave the company the chance to 'restructure' ie offer the staff completely unworkable contracts with less money. Both **** and her husband have opted for 'voluntary' redundancy. It's just a good job they haven't got any kids but I really feel for them.

[Blue Jam]

The South Bank Centre are letting two thirds of their workforce go:

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/art-design/2020/08/southbank-centre-mass-job-cuts-redundancies-start-up-culture

Bleak stuff indeed.

[Blue Jam]

I work for a university and my contract ends on the 31st of December. I'm relatively lucky as we may get some more venture capital funding and we may get some MRC funding. Neither are guaranteed but I'm still in a better position than anyone funded by Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and other charities who are really struggling and laying off lots of staff. Some of my BHF-funded colleagues have already been laid off or had their funding cut.

Shame I'm not a virologist. It's a good time to be a virologist right now.

[BlodwynPig]

The beignening of the UK is nearly complete.

[BlodwynPig]

I work for a university and my contract ends on the 31st of December. I'm relatively lucky as we may get some more venture capital funding and we may get some MRC funding. Neither are guaranteed but I'm still in a better position than anyone funded by Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and other charities who are really struggling and laying off lots of staff. Some of my BHF-funded colleagues have already been laid off or had their funding cut.

Shame I'm not a virologist. It's a good time to be a virologist right now.

I heard that Alzheimer's funding was one of the hardest hit areas in research now.

[Blue Jam]

I research vascular dementia- the kind caused by the cumulative effect of a series of "mini-strokes" and the second-most common after Alzheimer's. Not sure how the Alzheimer's charities are doing but BHF-funded researchers are really worried right now.

With my funding coming from the private sector and The Magic Money Tree I'm in a better position than most but there will of course be more people scrabbling for that funding now.

[Fishfinger]

Thanks for the replies, I'll pass on the advice about due process. They were also told "you might be able to get benefits." I'm sure that'll work out just fine too.

[Fishfinger]

Oh, and this wasn't an 'asking for a friend' post, I have work, but I applied for something a couple of months ago and even then, after calling to follow up, I found out they'd had over 600 applicants. This is the first time though that it's really hit home how fucked things are.

[Braintree]

Any union representation? I am aware joining a union is expensive but a collective consultation might yield more results.

So many industries are fucked. Some, like arts and culture, have genuinely been hit hard by Covid, but others are just accelerating plans that would have happened in 1-2 years.

[pancreas]

Our union won't represent you formally unless you've been a member for some number of months, maybe 6.

This is why you should join one now, not when you need one.

[jobotic]

They'll include you if you are part of a collective issue that affects existing members. Depends if you anyone else is in one.

[Non Stop Dancer]

We've started "consulting" with staff now although with one of them it's a foregone conclusion that we'll have to let her go. There's going to be so much of this now the furlough payments are being tapered off. Absolute shit fest for the country come Christmas I expect.

[Fishfinger]

Any union representation? I am aware joining a union is expensive but a collective consultation might yield more results.

So many industries are fucked. Some, like arts and culture, have genuinely been hit hard by Covid, but others are just accelerating plans that would have happened in 1-2 years.

No union representation.

[jobotic]

They need to look at their contract. It's not reasonable to say you can't have redundancy but you have to have a cut of 50% of your hours. Unless there's something in there that says otherwise.