Must be realistic about job losses - Joyce

Redundancies at Canterbury University come as no surprise to the Government.

150 staff are to be shed over the next three years as the institution deals with financial pressures caused by the Christchurch earthquakes.

Tertiary Education Minister Steve Joyce says it's never good to see redundancies but we have to be realistic about the situation.

"In one faculty I think they were down about 1000 students, so it's hard to expect that faculty won't have changes as a result of that. Some of the other faculties have held up better, but they will have to be making adjustments there's no doubt."

The Tertiary Education Union has slammed both the Government and Canterbury University following the news.

TEU National President Sandra Grey says there is no doubt the Government is making deliberate financial choices that compel the university to cut good quality jobs, but university management also needs to take responsibility for their actions.

"We've said staff are prepared to work with them to find solutions, but it seems that the solution, not just this time around, but over the last few years from this university management has been to cut jobs, rather than look at more creative ways of dealing with issues."

The Government's maintained the university's tuition funding irrespective of its student numbers, meaning its income has been beyond what other universities have received.

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