The University of Missouri-Kansas City has axed its Institute for Labor Studies, a step that a United Auto Workers Union leader says will hurt every labor union in the city.

The chancellor says it’s the first cut to be made as the campus complies with curators’ orders to reduce spending one percent a year for three years. The savings will be used for faculty and staff pay raises.

The Institute had one employee and ran six courses for people wanting to be union organizers or leaders, or run for a union office.