UCC staff asked to work a week without pay

THE head of one of the country’s largest colleges has asked his 2,800-plus staff to work a week without pay as part of a package of cost-cutting measures designed to plug a €7 million hole in its finances.

Dr Michael Murphy, president of University College Cork (UCC), said the 18-member University Management Team has already agreed to lead by example and take the hit.

However, he said, because of the cutbacks, the termination of temporary contracts is inevitable and services to students will be affected.