LONDON Metropolitan University lecturers are back on their picket lines today and tomorrow, having picketed yesterday to emphasise they are stepping up the fight for national action to defend Higher Education jobs and conditions across the country.
London Met UCU (University and College Union) members are striking on June 3rd, 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th and 15th against 120 imposed redundancies.
At last week’s UCU Annual Conference in Harrogate a resolution was carried calling for the union to organise a national campaign of industrial action to defend jobs and student services across the country.
There has been a vote of no confidence in the senior leadership at London Met by UCU members after it announced 120 job cuts in January.
On their Holloway Road picket line yesterday morning, Christina Paine, London Met UCU Branch Chair, spoke passionately to striking members and supporters.
‘We’re here fighting to defend jobs at London Met, not just academic jobs but all jobs.’
She went on to say: ‘Colleagues at the University of Nottingham are facing a potential cut of 2,800 jobs.
‘We all have to stand together.
‘I’ve heard that professors at London Met are being put onto zero hours contracts, so they will be losing all their rights and job security.
‘The job losses are terrible, there is no support for our students.’
