COVID-19 Updates : USU Reduces Workforce Capacity to Forty Percent
By Jossie Warnant
The University of Sydney Union (USU) has announced that effective next Monday, it will reduce the working capacity of its entire workforce to 40%.
These cuts will apply to the senior management team, the Acting CEO and the Board of Directors.
The USU has cited a decrease in revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for reduction in staff working hours.
In Q2 April-June the union experienced a reduction of $5,456,435 in income with USU venues and outlets experiencing a 97% reduction in customers. The USU said in a media release that “this current decline is unsustainable”.
The Union cited “the ensuing health crisis and the threat of a second wave” as placing additional strain on finances.
USU President Irene Ma said, “The COVID-19 pandemic presents perhaps the most dangerous existential crisis this Union has faced, and the hard decisions we make now must be with an eye to its survival.”
A COVID-19 Response Committee has been established and will meet fortnightly to advise the Board on when it is appropriate to lift the measures.
“Whilst we appreciate the impacts these changes will have; we know that the staff’s resolve will remain strong and at the heart of everything we do. On behalf of the Board, I thank the USU staff for their hard work, patience and understanding over the past months,” said Ma.
Read the full media release below.
USU COVID-19 Update
SYDNEY, 28 July 2020: The University of Sydney Union (USU) wishes to update its members, stakeholders and the entire student community at the University about our ongoing response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis and corresponding financial impacts on the USU.Over the past months the USU Board has worked to maintain the organisation in its current form while campus activity ceased. The USU continues to scale down the organisation’s expenses at a time of radically reduced revenue. Unfortunately, even with these concessions, the impact on revenue is so great that we have been forced to make additional reductions in staff working hours and campus operations. We are committed to the utmost level of transparency and accountability in this process. To highlight the impact of this, in Q2 April-June USU saw a reduction of $5,456,435 in income. Our venues and outlets have had a 97% reduction of their usual customers. (Please refer to attached Appendix) This current decline is unsustainable.The ensuing health crisis and the threat of a second wave has created uncertainty and strain on our finances, and we must act now to ensure the ongoing longevity and sustainability of the organisation.
USU Staff Given the above, the USU has today advised staff that the organisation must reduce the working capacity of our entire workforce to 40%, effective next Monday 3 August. This measure will also apply to the senior management team, the Acting CEO, and the Board of Directors. It is hoped that this reduction will ensure the financial stability of the USU while it deals with this crisis.
This decision was the result of long and most careful consideration by the USU Board. Today all staff will receive written notice of this reduction of working hours and they will meet with their managers over the coming days to discuss this development.USU President Irene Ma said, “As always, the USU and its staff remains focused and committed to delivering a great student experience for our members and wider community. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic presents perhaps the most dangerous existential crisis this Union has faced, and the hard decisions we make now must be with an eye to its survival. Whilst we appreciate the impacts these changes will have; we know that the staff’s resolve will remain strong and at the heart of everything we do. On behalf of the Board, I thank the USU staff for their hard work, patience and understanding over the past months.”“Consequently, we are implementing numerous mechanisms to monitor the situation, including the formation of a specialised COVID-19 Response Committee. This committee will meet fortnightly to recommend to the Board whether circumstances have changed sufficiently to enable the lifting of these measures. We do this with the stated aim that these measures will be lifted as soon as it is viable.”
Campus Operations
With a reduced workforce, USU’s campus operations are currently limited to:
Footbridge Station @ Holme (7am-4pm)USYD Store @ JFR (9am-5pm)Fisher Café (8am-3pm) Manning Milk Bar (8am-3pm) Abercrombie Terrace (8am-3pm)
Again, thank you for your support and loyalty. If you have any questions, please contact info@usu.edu.au and we will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.