MASS PUBLIC RALLY Defend Jobs - Defend Education

Defend Jobs - Defend Education
Mass Public Rally
Thu 2nd April, 6-8pm
ULU, Malet Street, London WC1

Download flyer as a pdf but the time is incorrect. The rally starts at 6pm not 4pm - click on the 'read full post link' below for text:
http://www.lmuucu.devisland.net/resources/defend_jobs_flyer.pdf


defend jobs, defend education
no to academic vandalism



Massive staff cuts in higher education

In the university sector thousands of jobs are threatened despite national funding settlements well above inflation. London Metropolitan University propose to axe at least 500 jobs – one quarter of the work-force. At Liverpool University, three depart¬ments face closure, with another five facing review. At Reading, while the local community cries out for more trained social and health workers, the university wants to close the department which trains them.

College restructuring hits further education jobs too In further education too, jobs are at risk. Doncaster College alone has announced plans to restructure with a loss of up to 300 jobs.

Specialisation means less staff and fewer courses Universities and colleges are responding to the government's agenda of specialisation, which means they will fund only those who tick all the funding boxes and pass the discredited assessment criteria present across post-16 education. This Alice-in-Wonderland logic allows universities to shut departments which actually generate surpluses, like Social Care at Reading, boost participation, like London Met, or have excellent teaching and research, like the departments threatened at Liverpool.

UCU believes:

• making teachers, lecturers, researchers and those who support them redundant is an act of academic vandalism at any time but is an obscenity during a recession
• the government's specialisation agenda is destroying the diversity of post-16 education, cutting off access to education for thousands of potential learners
• universities and colleges should be expanding provision to meet the needs of our communities and our country during a recession, not reducing it.

UCU wants to defend education. We will do everything we can to protect jobs and courses, but we need your help.

Come to the mass public rally

Thursday 2 April, 6–8pm University of London Union Malet Street
London WC1E 7HY

Speakers include:

• Sally Hunt, General Secretary, UCU
• Christine Blower, General Secretary, NUT
• Representatives from London Met, Liverpool University and Doncaster College