The union for front-line employees at Saskatchewan Polytechnic is angry that almost two dozen front-line employees are being laid off but four managers are being hired.
Bonnie Bond is with the professional services bargaining unit for the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union.
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She said Sask Polytech has been adding more bureaucracy instead of directing money to front-line services.
The union says the post-secondary technical training school has increased managerial positions rapidly over the last three years — including going to 150 from 113 in the 2015-16 academic year.
Sask Polytechnic says the layoffs were part of an operational review and it confirmed four managerial positions were listed on its career website.
Spokesman Terrence Carswell said the layoffs were less about finances as they were about responding to the labour market.
“The environment changes on a regular basis and we want to make sure we’re remaining current and also moving forward with the resources we need,” said the associate vice-president of human resources.
“Things just change. There’s different technological changes, changes in services and … we need to review that based on the needs of our clients – both the students and industry – as we move forward.”
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The union sees it differently.
“The funds that are being spent to increase the size of Sask Polytech’s management team should instead be used to maintain existing staff positions and to fill the numerous positions that have been left vacant,” she said Friday in a news release.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic has campuses in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw. It offers programs in applied and visual media, aviation, basic education and business.
It was formerly known as the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.
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