The METSU does not support this campaign website

 

UNISON and UCU have been asked by London Met Students Union to remove their logo from this website because there is no formal position to support this campaign against 165 job cuts. So we are archiving this website and will no longer be using it.

 

We cannot remove the logo from this website but we trust by publishing this statement there is no implication that METSU is supporting this current campaign. 

 

Before we shut it down, though, please find a statement signed by student activists, hosted on the 'Students Assembly Against Austerity' website.

 

And for further information you can still go to the London Met UCU or the London Met UNISON websites. You can also sign a new joint-union statement to 'Stop the job cuts at London Met', which was launched at our rally and which is hosted on the national UCU website.  

 

Thanks to the METSU for drawing this to our attention. We are naturally disappointed that the student union feels unable to support this campaign at this moment in time but we hope to work together in the future on common ground. 

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HANDS OFF LONDON MET – DEFENDING JOBS AND EDUCATION: RALLY, 28 APRIL, 6.30PM

25 April, 2015

Staff and students alike have been shocked by the Vice-Chancellor’s recent announcement of further imminent widespread redundancies planned for both academic staff and professional service departments. We believe that these cuts threaten the future survival of London Met as we know it. Our concern is shared by many outside the university and we believe that our campaign to stop these cuts can galvanise wide support in the larger community.

That’s why we’ve organised a public meeting “Hands Off London Met: Defend Jobs-Defend Education” at London Met on Tuesday 28th April.

The meeting will take place at 6:30pm in Room TM1-83 of the Tower Building of North Campus on Holloway Rd. The meeting will be addressed by

• Jeremy Corbyn MP,
• Liz Lawrence {President of UCU},
• Jon Rogers {UNISON National Executive Committee},
• Aaron Kiely {London Met student and National Union of Students National Executive Committee} and
• Sean Vernell {UCU National Executive Committee}.

The meeting is open to members of the community and we expect attendees from other HE institutions within London.We strongly urge all UNISON members within London Met to come along to the meeting. We attach a PDF copy of a flyer for the meeting, please print and distribute to as many of your colleagues as possible.

PLEASE FWD - SPREAD THE WORD

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UNISON URGE ‘YES’ VOTE IN BALLOT FOR STRIKE ACTION TO DEFEND JOBS

25 April, 2015

It’s official – UNISON are balloting for strike action UNISON officials informed London Met University we are to ballot all our directly employed members for strike action and action short of a strike (work to rule), on Friday 24th April. We strongly recommend you vote yes to both questions. 

http://www.londonmetunison.org.uk/2015/04/unison-urge-yes-vote-in-ballot-for-strike-action-to-defend-jobs/

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OPPOSE THE JOBS MASSACRE - STOP THE SPIRAL OF DECLINE

OPPOSE THE JOBS MASSACRE

STOP THE SPIRAL OF DECLINE

Staff and students will be utterly appalled by the recent announcement that the university intends to slash a further 165 jobs.

UNISON and UCU stand firmly against these damaging cuts – we say: enough is enough!

The kind of cuts foreseen are enough to virtually destroy entire Faculties.

The University has said they will make compulsory redundancies – a red line for both our unions.

And they wish to do this in the minimum time frame of just 45 days and during the Easter holiday period.

This disruption to people’s lives, putting people’s future at risk in such a rushed and stressful way is unacceptable.

The scale of the threat to entire areas is unforgivable and we cannot see how a certain Dean can look their own staff in the eye and justify these cuts given their own responsibility for the strategy that led to such a drastic decline in student numbers.

Equally, the devastating loss of our overseas students in 2012 is entirely the fault of the reckless leadership of senior management – from the Governors down to the Executive Group.

We cannot accept the same senior management team demanding we pay the price for their catastrophic decisions.  

We have seen redundancies every year since 2009, when they proposed 550 job cuts. Large numbers ofS188 redundancies followed, in 2011, 2012, and again in 2013.

This ongoing slashing of jobs will mean the spiral of decline continues and the very future of the university will be threatened. Most galling, the very managers who got us into this mess are the same people now deciding whose jobs to cut while continuing to implement their own failed strategies.

JOIN US, GET ORGANISED - COME TO OPEN JOINT UNION MEETINGS*

NORTH CAMPUS: Tuesday 24^th

1-2pm Graduate Centre, Room: GCG-08

Speaker: Liz Lawrence, UCU President 

CITY CAMPUS Wednesday 25^th

12-1pm Moorgate, Room: MG102
Speaker: Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary

* NOTE VENUE AND TIME CHANGE... Membership forms available at the door

Also: Faculty of Business & Law open meeting organised by UCU Moorgate: MG-G12, Wed 18th March 1-2pm

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Petition: No more jobs cuts - stop the spiral of decline

Dear John Raftery and London Met Board of Governors,

We are writing in response to the shocking news of your plan to implement large-scale redundancies amongst both academic and professional support staff at London Metropolitan University. We strongly urge you to reconsider these plans and join with staff and students in developing an alternative plan to grow the university. 

London Met and it’s predecessor institutions have played a vital role over past decades in providing educational opportunities for some of the most disadvantaged groups in society. We believe that the plan to dramatically reduce academic and professional support staff is unnecessary and will lead to a rapid increase in the spiral of decline that has dogged the university over the past few years. This decline constitutes what we believe to be an unacceptable threat to a vital element in the educational provision within London.

We find it impossible to disagree with staff and students at London Met who point to the series of disastrous policies and strategies adopted by former Vice Chancellors and supported by the institution’s senior management that have resulted in a series of financial crises, critical damage to the university’s international reputation and a dramatic decline in both the breadth and quality of the service offered to students. It is these disastrous policies that have resulted in falling student numbers at the university, it is a scandal that those who have formulated and implemented these policies and who are ultimately responsible for the university’s decline have profited substantially from their own ineptitude.

It is our belief that London Met  can continue to play an important role in providing higher education in London. But to continue the disastrous strategy of cutting back of staff can only result in a decline of the service offered to students with the inevitable result of a continuing decline and possible eventual demise of the institution as a whole. The loss of London Met would be a loss for the whole of London, we again strongly urge you to turn away from your current strategy of weakening the university and to join with staff and students in developing a plan for growth of London Met.

Sign here: https://www.change.org/p/london-met-uni-no-more-jobs-cuts-stop-the-spiral-of-decline

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Why are the unions striking over proposed changes to our pensions?

UNISON and UCU would like to invite all staff and students to the following open meetings to explain:

“What are the proposed changes to our pension schemes – why are the unions striking?”

NORTH
Wednesday 16 November 2011
13:00-14:00
Room: TG-30, ‘Henry Thomas Room’

CITY

Thursday 17 November 2011

13:00-14:00

Room: JSM-34 (Jewry Street Lecture Theatre)

The government has proposed significant changes to public sector pension schemes that London Met staff are members of (LGPS/ LPFA, USS and TPS). The government want us to pay more, work longer and get less.

Public sector unions (including UNISON and UCU) are in dispute with the government over these detrimental (and in our view unnecessary) changes and, after balloting all relevant members, announced the first day of strike action on 30th November.

Come to these open meetings (all welcome) for up to date info and find out how this will affect YOU…

For more info, contact: unison@londonmet.ac.uk

or go here: http://www.londonmetunison.org.uk/

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UNISON - Fighting for decent pensions

UNISON members will be taking action on 30 November to defend their pensions, after they voted overwhelmingly to join the TUC co-ordinated day of action .

Pressure from UNISON, including the ballot of more than a million members, has seen the government move significantly from its original proposals.

But at the moment, all the government has spelled out is outline principles - there are no detailed offers for the different public service pension schemes that members can make a decision on.

UNISON will continue to negotiate on our members' behalf right up until 30 November and we will consult members when any firm offer is received.

Until we have a firm offer, we need to keep up the pressure and proceed with our plans for action on 30 November alongside other public sector unions and the TUC.

Resources and information to help your branch plan for action are available on these pages.

Your pension is under attack - join us in defending it.

Pensions: busting the myths
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#N9

On Wednesday 9th November, thousands of students from all over the country will march through London against the government’s plans for universities.



Assemble: 12 noon at the University of London Union (ULU) on Malet Street

See the Facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149127191852123
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Strike action at London Metropolitan University (Reel News short film)

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London Met Sounds of Resistance: March against the Privatisation of Education!

Wednesday 22nd June

Join London Met students and staff in our fight against massive job cuts and course closures. There are currently plans to cut 70% of courses – including Performing Arts, History, Caribbean Studies and Philosophy – and we already have 200 proposed compulsory redundancies in motion.

What is happening at London Met is a sign of what is going on in all our public services: mass privatisa…tion.

And these cuts are the tip of the iceberg at London Met: if we accept these we will see them coming back for more and more.

Say ‘no’ to job cuts, course cuts and massively reduced and restricted provision of services to students.

Say ‘Yes’ to Education, work and widening participation.

This is a direct attack on the students, staff and the whole London Met community, and furthermore an attack on the ethos and principles that we hold dear: of widening participation and the value of educational opportunities and the pursuit of critical thinking that universities should provide for all.

We believe that arts and humanities subjects should be for all, not just for those who can afford £18,000 a year at privatised. The fight to save humanities starts at London Met and does not end at the elitist New College of Humanities.

Assemble at 2-3pm to march to London Met Tower Building, Holloway Road

Speakers include:
Mark Serwotka, PCS General secretary
Denise Bertuchi Assistant National Officer, UNISON Education and Children's Services
Mark Campbell, UCU NEC
Max Watson, Unison NEC
Clare Soloman, ULU President
Mark Burgfield NUS NEC
Claire Locke, London Met SU
and others to be confirmed

Sounds of Resistance:
* Live MCs
* Samba Band
* London Met Performing Arts
* London Met Cheerleaders
* T-shirt painting
* Banner/placard Making

See the Facebook event
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Lobby the London Met Board of Governors

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Lobby the London Met Board of Governors

Event address:
84 Moorgate
London
EC2M 6SQ

Facebook event

See the We Are London Met Blog
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We are London Met, not Easy Met!

In April 2011 London Metropolitan University announced the closure of 70% of its courses, including Performing Arts, History, Caribbean Studies and Philosophy.

This proposal to massively reduce and restrict provision is a direct attack on the students, staff and the whole London Met community, and represents an attack on widening participation and the value of educational opportunities and the pursuit of critical thinking that universities should provide for all.

For more information about the campaign to save London Met, please visit:
www.londonmetunison.org.uk/ and www.londonmetsu.org.uk/

Sign the petition here:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-london-metropolitan-university.html

The announcement by London Met University to slash 70 percent of its courses is a direct attack on the students, staff and the whole London Met community, and furthermore an attack on the ethos and principles that we hold dear: of widening participation and the value of educational opportunities and the pursuit of critical thinking that universities should provide for all.

These unprecedented cuts stem from a government whose cabinet is comprised of millionaires who were nearly all Arts and Humanities students who received their university degrees for free, paid for by the state.

Yet London Met students from non-traditionally academic backgrounds are being told that Arts and Humanities subjects do not help to ‘build careers’.

Professor (of Music) and Vice Chancellor of the University Malcolm Gillies has done very well so far in his career. Peter McCaffery, newly appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor studied History, yet his vision for London Met is one that has no history.

Philosophy too will be chopped, deemed unprofitable. The British Philosophical Association Director, Helen Beebee, has said recently:

“Philosophy has been taught in universities for over 900 years. It addresses questions that continue to be central to our understanding of the world and our place within it. The core aim of any self-respecting university should be the pursuit of knowledge; but philosophy is unique in addressing the question of what knowledge itself is.”

Arguing against the closure of Philosophy at Greenwich University, Beebee contends that the subject should be available as widely as possible:

“The new universities [...] play a vital role in this. They have broad access to parts of the community where the appeal of the ‘old’ universities is very limited; moreover, philosophy is a subject that can be studied from a wide variety of educational backgrounds.”

These attacks amount to telling working class and poor students that these subjects are ‘not for the likes of you’, and we reject this absolutely. In making these cuts, London Met management are publicly embracing government policies singling out the arts, humanities and social sciences for attack.

We believe the government’s attacks on education should be resisted, not embraced. We believe that higher education should provide working class and non-traditional students with a full range of well resourced, appropriately taught and supported academic courses, rather than a narrow set of under-resourced and 'cheaply' delivered so-called 'vocational' degrees.

We don’t believe in a ‘No-Frills’ education, provided on the cheap, with buildings but no staff. We are London Met, not EasyMet!

We believe fundamentally that higher education is a public good that benefits the whole of society as well as that of the wider economy. We further believe that universities should be run democratically as local community academic assets - with full student, staff, and community involvement. We do not accept the argument that you can have 'too many' people educated to degree level, or that we should ration educational opportunity to a minority that believe they can financially afford it.

The fight to defend publicly-funded HE is not over and we do not accept the defeatism of the University’s management over fees and provision – it is a local and national struggle.

We therefore resolve to do everything in our power to fight these cuts, including as appropriate, lawful industrial action, protests, and demonstrations – we will do everything in our hands to stop this educational vandalism. We will continue to campaign for free higher education open to all and call on the whole community to sign up to this statement.

Signed,
Max Watson, London Met UNISON Chair, & NEC
Mark Campbell, London Met UCU Chair, & NEC
Claire Locke, METSU President-elect
Cliff Snaith, London Met UCU Secretary
Allan Pike, London Met UNISON Branch Secretary
Mary Davis, TUC Women’s Committee, ex-London Met UCU
Paul Mackney, NATFHE General Secretary/ UCU (1997-2007)
Jeremy Corbyn MP, Islington North
Sian Moore, UCU, WLRI Reader in Industrial Relations

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-london-metropolitan-university.html
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Student Union Response to London Met Transformation

The proposal to cut 70 per cent of the Undergraduate portfolio at London Metropolitan University (London Met) will have a huge impact on the past, present and future students of London Met. The proposed reduction in courses coupled with the budget fee levels put forward by the university could mean that London Met is perceived to be the no frills university as it will provide a bare minimum of services and resources to its students. This would be disastrous to London Met students in terms of how the value of their degree is perceived by both the university and industry sector. This would also have an adverse impact on the London Met student experience.

Many of the areas affected by the proposed cuts at London Met not only have a high intake of students, but also achieve high scores in many surveys that reflect student satisfaction. The Students’ Union would like detailed information about what will happen to the existing students whose courses are deleted as the proposal to transfer students to other universities was put forward as an option on the Undergraduate Review Board.

Along with the recent proposed course reduction, London Met will be closing the Learning Development Unit, which is an area of excellence, the Writing Centre, a service that not only provides students with learning support but also employs London Met students who will now have to find alternative employment to support their studies.

London Met currently has contracts with external providers for cleaning, security, catering and maintenance. There have been recent proposals to outsource the Print Centre and the Disability and Dyslexia Service. The Students' Union would like to know whether the university has plans to outsource any of the other internal university services to private companies during the reshaping of the university. The history of outsourcing services at London Met has not had a positive impact on the university. This has even been acknowledged by senior members of the university.

The Students' Union believes that this transformation of the university is in direct contradiction to the ethos of London met. We change lives and of this we are proud. Many of the students who will be affected are single parents and come from the most deprived areas of London. We enable people to develop and progress towards their future. We are commended on the high standard of teaching as reflected in both the National Student Survey and the Opinion Panel. The Students’ Union would like to formally request access to the equality impact assessment.

The Students' Union has deep concerns over the future of the university. What will the university be able to offer students in terms of service, support, choice and quality? And how much will the London Met degree really be worth?

The Students' Union does not accept this transformation as necessary. Furthermore, we will actively support our students who will be directly and indirectly affected by these damaging plans.
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Call for an emergency Board of Governors meeting regarding course closures

We the undersigned call on Clive Jones, as Chair of the London
Metropolitan University Board of Governors, to invoke an emergency
all-Governors' meeting.

The role of the Board of Governors is not (and never should have been) to "rubber-stamp" the decisions of the Executive (we thought those days had gone). It does include overseeing the Executive and ensuring the appropriate use of funds.

As stated in the draft minutes of the Board of Governors' meeting on 16 March, the meeting of Academic Board held on Thursday 14 April was "to approve proposals on undergraduate courses and tuition fees to underpin the submission of the Access Agreement to OFFA on 19 April."

It was agreed that "a small group of Governors would be convened for one meeting to approve the final proposals on behalf of the Board". It was surely not envisaged that "proposals on undergraduate courses" would imply slashing the undergraduate course provision to such a savage extent. Cuts of this severity cannot be left to a sub-committee of the Board of Governors as these entail a major change in strategy and policy.

No financial justification for these cuts has been put forward. The severe reduction in the undergraduate portfolio leaves London Metropolitan University vulnerable to takeover and asset stripping from competitor institutions (where higher tuition fees are being proposed than at London Met).

We call on the Board of Governors to meet immediately to demand an explanation from the VC and the London Met Executive's proposal for undergraduate provision, and to ensure the survival of the university by its reversal.

The Governors are accountable to the wider community of London Met. Given the previous history of governance at London Met, this Board of Governors has a unique imperative to listen to and respond to that community, and address their very real and serious concerns. It is vital that the Board of Governors insists that the University is able to honour the pledge made in the strategic plan: transforming lives, meeting needs, building careers. The current proposals satisfy none of these criteria.

Please call the extraordinary meeting as soon as possible, and in your capacity as Chair suspend immediately the decisions regarding the undergraduate portfolio until the meeting has taken place and inform OFFA accordingly.


Signed

Kay Dudman (Elected Staff Governor)
Yeashir Ahmed (President, London Met SU, Student Governor)
Claire Locke (President Elect, London Met SU)
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Islington Strikes Back!

Some lively local anti-cuts groups are emerging and mobilising in our communities - like IHOOPS, who organised this excellent demo last Saturday, 5th Feb, of over 1,000 people marching against the cuts. Power to the People!



Some selected speeches from the rally at the end, starting with George Binette, of Camden UNISON branch:



... Jeremy Corbyn, MP, Islington North, Labour:



And finally, my favourite, Billie Tomlinson, student occupier from London Met:


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Lobby the London Met Board of Governors!

Lobby the London Met Board of Governors!

Download the leaflet in English from here.

Y en Español desde aqui.

- 26th January 2011 -

4.30-5.30pm @ entrance to ‘Tower Building’- 166 Holloway Road, N7

• London Living Wage!
• No job cuts!
• No more outsourcing!

On 26th January, the governing body of London Met University meets to agree our future direction. Staff and students, through our unions, are calling for: the London Living Wage (£7.85) as a minimum for all staff, including cleaners caterer and security guards; no compulsory redundancies, save the Education & Learning Development Units, no more outsourcing & the privatisation of Education (bring our services back in-house).

Join us & show your support—together, we can win!
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Don't write off the LDU

The Learning Development Unit and Writing Centre could be closed by the end of the academic year as 44 redundancies have been announced.

What can you do to help?

Post messages of support on the Don’t write off the LDU blog

Sign the Petition

Join the Don’t write off the LDU Facebook group

Send this editable email to the VC

The SU is also holding two open meetings next week for students to come and find about the local and national cuts and to find out what steps we can take to oppose them.

* Monday 22nd November: 5pm, Henry Thomas room, Tower building, North campus.
* Tuesday 23rd November: 5pm, Calcutta house Atrium, Goulston st, City campus.

Staff are also welcome to attend either or both of these meetings.
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Save London Met! Education for all! Demonstrate!

A crucial time is upon us and we are asking for your support. Jobs, student places, funding for teaching and access to education itself are at risk from the Government. Together we must take a stand to defend ourselves, our values, our communities and education for future generations. The Coalition Government announced:

• £9,000 tuition Fees
• 40% cuts to University funding
• Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences will lose ALL funding support

What does this mean for us?

London Met could lose 80% of its teaching grant. We could be closed down completely at worst: Education will no longer be affordable or a right, but a privilege for the few. At best it will mean: 

• More students crammed into lecturer theatres,
• Widespread course closures,
• Large scale redundancies,
• Buildings such as libraries and computer room

What can you do?

In the future you or someone you know will look to enter further or higher education. We need to unite now to push for a new, more sustainable way of funding education. The National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU), with UNISON support, are jointly organising a national demo, ‘Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts’ on Wednesday 10 November 2010, in central London. The demonstration aims to shake the unity of the Coalition Government by highlighting to MPs that education funding is an issue that resonates strongly within society, as well as students and their families. So join us as we tell this government: “No ifs, no buts - no Education cuts!”


Join Us on the National Demo!

Assemble: 9am-10.30 am at ‘The Rocket’ or ‘The HUB’, then Travel to Embankment (11am). Demonstrate under the ‘Save London Met’ banner, with UNISON and UCU banners. Meet in Victoria Embankment Gardens, Embankment Tube: 11.30am
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London Met University UNISON / Students' Union/ UCU joint statement on the Browne Report and Spending Review cuts

Last week, the Government announced unprecedented cuts to Higher Education budgets as a whole (40%). The Browne report came out the week before that, recommending a removal of the cap on tuition fees. These policies would be utterly destructive.

The government appears to be hell bent on dismantling the welfare state, public education and health. If Lord Browne has his way, families could have to shell out between £76,000 and £136,000 to put two children through university. Browne, who made himself rich as an oil Baron for BP, could afford that. Could your family?

His recommendations would be as disastrous for Higher Education as BP’s oil spillage was for the Gulf of Mexico.

These cuts are categorically unacceptable, unfair and unnecessary. The political elite can afford to waste billions on fighting in Afghanistan, an ageing nuclear defence programme, and an aircraft carrier that has no aircraft to carry … but cannot educate its own children.

Arts, humanities and social sciences are degraded as no longer ‘priority’ subjects – they could losing government funding altogether. Art is a crucial part of our economy and an essential fabric of London life and culture. What would happen to John Cass, the college of Music, or Arts College - non-science subjects will become privileged hobbies for millionaire private schoolboys like Cameron, Clegg and Cable. Universities like ours could shut down altogether.

Meanwhile, at London Met, we’re still recovering from the cuts of 2009 caused by funding scandal not of our making. The immediate impact of a hike in fees at London Met is obvious and does not need to be spelt out. There is no alternative but active opposition and active resistance.

United, we staff and students fought back against the cuts last of 2009 – we refused to pay for the incompetence of our old management and their crisis, we demanded and eventually saw the Governors’ mass resignations, we saved 200 jobs and we stopped outsourcing.

Now we’re being told to pay for the banker’s crisis – and again, we say: ‘no, we shall not pay for their crisis!’ We saw the back of the Governors at London Met – we’ll see the back of this government too.

The three unions - support staff in UNISON, lecturers in UCU, and the Students’ Union - pledge resistance to these cuts to education. We pledge to do all we can to:

• save the welfare state from these vandals;
• defend education from market madness; and to
• protect all public services from parasites and privateers.

We call on all staff to join the unions in our campaign – and those who are not members of the unions to join up and join in.

We call on senior management - and the Vice Chancellor in particular - to declare their opposition to these cuts and support our pledge of resistance. We call for:

• a day off from lectures and from work on 10th November 2010, so we can:

Demonstrate against cuts to Education
http://www.demo2010.org/

Come to a joint-union

Campaign launch Party at 'The Rocket', Holloway Road

4th November 2010, starts at 6pm.

Speakers from all three unions, music afterwards

To find out more and how to get involved - to check everyday for activities and events, meetings and demonstrations, letters to write to your MPs, subscribe to our mailing list... go to the re-launched ‘Save London Met’ website:

http://www.savelondonmetuni.blogspot.com

London Met University UNISON, UCU, Students’ Union

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