Univesity of Chile lays off IREPO stafff

Layoffs were announced to employees this morning at the University of Chile in Santiago, Chile, especially in the health/medical sector.

According to my friend in Chile, cuts were said to be in additon to layoffs in other segments of Santiago's work force, which allegedly included the Santiago, Chile bank "Santander." (I will be attempting to contact the bank to confirm this.)

University employees received letters today stating: "For reasons of good service and with conformance to the duties of the job it falls upon me to communicate to you, that your duties in the service will last until 28 February, 2007.

(Translation was mine. Actual Spanish: Por razones de buen servicio y conforme a las atribuciones que el cargo me concede cumplo con comunicarle a Ud., que su nombramiento en el cargo sera hasta el 28 de febrero de 2007).

The letter was signed, the source said, by the dean of the odontology department.

The layoffs were supposedly not limited to IREPO, rather they were said to apply to all faculty. According to what employees were told in the meeting earlier today, ten percent of all employees of the University of Chile would be laid off initially with more layoffs expected to follow, perhaps in March.

I asked, "They are going to lay off more people then? More than ten percent of the faculty of the University of Chile?" And she answered, "Yes." This figure must seem astounding to the staff.

"Imagine what kind of Christmas we are going to have, and what kind of 'vacations'" said the source, who is a statistician. "It is unbelievable. It is terrible, because there are people a lot worse off than I am. The truth is, I am not so bad off . I don't know about nationally, but here in Santiago it is a disaster. I don't believe the whole province will be this way. At the worst, I will have work in (another department), but the dentists will not."

How many people will be affected, out of work? The unofficial source did not yet have exact figures, however, she said, "There are people with 'families behind the doors.' Look at the professors. They are all super depressed. As I already told you, it is 50 of the university laid off, without work."

Further meetings had been scheduled, presumably to discuss the layoffs.