NGV Staff Redundancies Made Via Email The National Gallery of Victoria, St Kilda Road. Photo: Rebecca Hallas National Gallery of Victoria staff and their union fear for the safety of the institution's internationally acclaimed collection amid job cuts - just as it stages the biggest exhibition in its history and lays the groundwork for a third site. The gallery confirmed in a statement on Thursday that it had identified 10 positions from its 362 employees that were redundant. It refused to comment further. I can't believe they're letting all these people go before Melbourne Now because that's going to be huge. Community and Public Sector Union Victoria industrial officer Mandy Coulson said the total number of jobs cut was unclear, but the 10 redundancies this week came on top of the loss in recent weeks of 30 people on fixed-term contracts. On Wednesday affected staff were notified either by email or a letter left on their desk that they would be made redundant, Ms Coulson said. Some staff notified by letter were on leave and had to be contacted by colleagues or the union to hear that they had lost their job, she said. One affected employee said management was "disgusting" and "reprehensible" for not telling staff in person that they would lose their jobs. Know more? Email d.cuthbertson@fairfaxmedia.com.au NGV director Tony Ellwood outlined the "operational changes" proposed by the NGV Trustees in a letter to Ms Coulson on Tuesday. The heads of assets and facilities, information services and contracts and tenders departments would be made redundant and replaced with a new role - head of assets, facilities and information services. The role would be key to the establishment of the new complex, Mr Ellwood's letter said. "This new position will ... play a key strategic role in the advocacy and planning for the NGV's third site, NGV Contemporary," the letter said. The new site has been long-rumoured but never confirmed. Further changes include making all three lighting technicians redundant, as well as senior roles, including the manager of design and senior conservator of metals and science. The gallery will create new positions including heads of audience engagement, curatorial and conservation departments. The position of Mr Ellwood's personal assistant will be replaced with the more senior role of directorate office manager. The cuts come as the gallery prepares to stage Melbourne Now in November, involving 29 curators, more than 130 artists, designers and performers and more than 250 works across NGV International and NGV Australia. "I can't believe they're letting all these people go before Melbourne Now because that's going to be huge," a staffer said. In May Arts Minister Heidi Victoria announced new funding of $8.5 million over two years for the NGV: $4 million to renew gallery space at NGV Australia and $4.5 million to commission works for Melbourne Now. Ms Victoria said in a statement on Thursday that she trusted the NGV board and management to ensure the restructure followed "correct processes."