As a result of the cooperation negotiations, on 7 April 2020 the Board of the University of Lapland approved guidelines, according to which 16 persons will be laid off. Additional ways to reduce another 23 persons are retirement, discontinuation of fixed-term relationships, and voluntary arrangements.
The laid-off persons' obligation to work ends in April. The other reductions take effect gradually by the end of July 2021. As a whole, the personnel will be reduced by 39 individuals as a result of the cooperation process.
The arrangements will lead to predicted cost savings of €2,260,000 per year. In addition, the university will save annually ca. €170,000 by implementing the savings proposals received from the personnel. The anticipated savings achieved through the cooperation process will thus slightly exceed 2.4 million euros per year.
"I find it extremely sad that we are forced to lay off good people to balance our economy. The positive side is that as a result of the process, the number of layoffs was reduced to sixteen, which means that we also managed to use softer measures to accomplish the reductions. From this starting point, we can begin building a better future," notes Antti Syväjärvi, the Rector of the University of Lapland.
Reductions are targeted at every unit
The personnel reductions concern the teaching and research personnel and the general personnel alike. The teaching and research personnel are reduced by altogether 17 persons, of whom eight are laid off. The general personnel are reduced by altogether 22 persons, of whom also eight are laid off.
In planning the reductions, seven criteria were used concerning the university strategy, the basic functions of the profit centres, the future goals, and the structural reform of the university’s administration.
Further measures
In its meeting on Tuesday, the Board of the university approved the results of the cooperation process as guidelines. The Board also authorised the university’s operative management to make the final decisions as to the targeting of the layoffs and other measures complying with the results of the cooperation process.
The other measures include support given to the laid-off persons, including various supportive measures to address change, to get re-educated, to get employed, and various occupational healthcare services.
The Board of the university decided on launching the cooperation process on 29 January 2020. The decision was based on the university's negative economic situation and a need to make structural changes. The aim of the negotiations was to achieve annual savings of 2.5 million euros, which means a reduction of 40 person-years annually.
Further information:
Antti Syväjärvi, Rector, tel. +358 400 606 244, antti.syvajarvi(at)ulapland.fi
Hannele Niemi, Chair of the University Board, tel. +358 40 555 8975, hannele.niemi(at)helsinki.fi