STRIKING Brunel University lecturers manning the picket lines in Uxbridge, west London yesterday, called for their UCU union to call national strike action to defeat the higher education jobs’ massacre which is currently taking place.
Stasha Lauria, UCU member and Robotics lecturer, told News Line: ‘We’re fighting against pointless and incompetent management decisions to sack hundreds of colleagues.
‘The union should call national strike action.
‘Every university in the country is doing the same thing, one after the other, sacking hundreds of essential staff.’
Kiran Kandade, UCU member and Business and Management lecturer, said: ‘I have not been made redundant and my job is safe. But what is safety?
‘It’s important to support other colleagues and it’s important to stand in solidarity.
‘Why make anybody redundant? We can’t accept it. How can you throw out staff? And it is happening everywhere.
‘The union should seize the issue and call a national strike now.’
Journalism student Ryan Leonard, who had joined the picket line to support the strike, told News Line: ‘These people are my lecturers.
‘Uni is sold to you as a life experience, but it’s also a learning experience and both of those things would be ruined by cuts to staff. I 100% support this strike!’
Psychology lecturer, Bianca De Haan, said: ‘We went to a “stop the cuts” rally in London on Tuesday.
‘We lobbied Parliament and spoke to our MPs.
‘Basically, what we are arguing for is a fundamental rethink into how higher education in this country is funded, because the current system does not work.
‘There are around 400 redundancies planned for here and thousands at other universities around the country.
‘The union must call national strike action to fight it.’
