Forskarföreningen vid Åbo Akademi (FfÅA) is disappointed with the outcome of the change negotiations at Åbo Akademi. We do not believe that the employer’s proposals to balance the University’s economy through lay-offs or a new organisational model are sufficiently well thought out to be implemented.
We agree that Åbo Akademi’s finances are in bad shape and that the negative trend has continued for a long time. The university’s management should have intervened earlier, so that corrective measures would have been easier to manage and the negative consequences for employees would have been smaller.
We are not convinced that the planned reductions of expert and support staff would lead to a permanent correction of the financial problems. Administrative and support staff are an important part of the University’s performance and the planned reductions will lead to an increase in the workload of the remaining expert and support staff as well as teaching and research staff.
We need a thorough study of the reduction of activities in the planned new organisation and an external and objective study of Åbo Akademi’s financial development.