London Metropolitan University will be hit with a day of strike action* next Thursday (2 July) as more than 300 UNISON members walk out in protest over 200 staff cuts. A strike ballot was held after negotiations to avoid compulsory redundancies broke down, and 71.5% of members voted in favour of industrial action.
The threat to jobs comes after the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced a £15 million funding cut, after the college inaccurately reported the numbers of students taking courses. The HEFCE are also looking to claw back £36.5 million worth of overfunding.
Jon Richards UNISON Head of Higher Education, said:
“The actions of London Met are deplorable. Since the financial crisis at the university broke at the start of the year, we have tried to work with management to avoid compulsory redundancies. Taking members out on strike is the last resort, but UNISON has been left with no option.
ÒLondon Met squandered the opportunity to implement a proper voluntary redundancy scheme. This has left 226 staff facing compulsory job losses over the next 13 months. We will continue to do all we can to protect our members, who have the full support of the national union in seeking to defend their jobs, and the rights of students to a decent education.
ÒThe Funding Council and the Government could and should do more to protect students and staff.”
UNISON has 328 members at London Met who work as admin and clerical staff, as technicians, library staff and in the universities facilities department.
*The strike will go ahead during the collegeÕs opening hours of 8am-5pm.