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"It’s a real shame that government-ordered cuts are now costing college instructors their jobs and weakening programs for students.” — Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU President
Winnipeg (15 June 2018) — Government funding cutbacks to post-secondary education are now being felt directly by staff and students at Red River College (RRC).
Government cuts mean fewer professor positions, higher tuition
The RRC President told staff on June 8 that they will be laying off 3 instructors and not renewing contracts for 3 term positions for instructors, while reducing hours for several part-time term positions and hiking up tuition by $250 for every program. This is all a result of the 2018/19 Manitoba budget which cut post-secondary education funding by 0.9 per cent, or $6.3 million.
“Red River College plays an important role training young Manitobans and ensuring Manitoba’s growing economy will have the skilled workers it needs to keep growing. It’s a real shame that government-ordered cuts are now costing college instructors their jobs and weakening programs for students,” said Michelle Gawronsky, President. of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU/NUPGE).
These job losses are due to RRC closing 2 programs — Geographical Information Systems and Greenspace Horticulture — as well as the rural intake of Primary Care Medicine. RRC will be reducing seats for
- nursing
- health care aide
- business administration
- pre-employment trades programs
Industrial networking technology and technology management programs will also be converted from being subsidized to a cost recovery funding model.
Future looks bleak for Red River College students
“Cutting education programs while driving up tuition is not how you create a bright future for young Manitobans to stay here and build our province,” Gawronsky said.
RRC says they have approved this 2018/19 budget and were working with a $3.2 million dollar shortfall — with the 0.9 per cent provincial funding cut representing $953,000, and $2.3 million representing funding they did not receive for the new Skilled Trades and Technology Centre.
The MGEU/NUPGE represents over 1,585 members at Red River College. They include instructors, and those that work in IT, food services and administration, to name a few.