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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 23 January 2009

500 JOBS AXED AS CASH CRISIS HITS CAMPUS

Union voices fears for future of university reeling from £18m cut

LONDON Met University is to become Islington’s biggest victim of the recession so far with up to 500 redundancies announced this week.
Shocked staff have been told that job losses will be made equally between academic, administrative and support staff over a year following an £18million cut in the university’s government funding.
Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn is seeking urgent talks with higher education minister David Lammy amid claims by union officials of “financial mismanagement”.
Mr Corbyn said: “I will be seeking to save jobs as well as receive a commitment for the future of the university.”
Up to 500 full-time and part-time jobs, representing 14-20 per cent of the workforce, could disappear.
Staff will be asked to volunteer for redundancy this month but a large programme of compulsory job losses is expected later this year.
Unlike in the past when generous redundancy packages were agreed, staff are being told that only the basic statutory entitlements will be paid.
At the heart of the university’s cash crisis are claims by the Higher Education Funding Council for England that London Met has ?been “overfunded” by up to £38million for students who failed to complete courses.
The university, with centres in Holloway, maintains that many students from foreign countries may have had to return home before the end of courses.
Harry Lister, regional organiser for Unison, the trade union representing non-academic staff, blamed “poor management” over a number of years.
He said: “There’s been very little consultation. This is one of the worst managements I’ve ever had to deal with.
“Basically, staff are being made to pay for all the financial mistakes of the university. The worry is also that this could affect the very existence of the university.”
Brian Roper, the university’s vice-chancellor, said in an email to staff: “I have alerted you to the possible need for large-scale compulsory redundancies in my earlier correspondence and I very much regret that this is now no longer a possibility but a very real requirement.
“Senior colleagues and I will now be looking at ways to operate the university on a reduced staff base and we undertake to consult with unions and staff. We will also be examining ways of reducing non-staffing overheads.
“I recognise that this will be a very difficult year for all staff but I hope you will continue to maintain the high work standards which have contributed greatly to our students’ successes.”
Barry Jones, assistant general secretary of University College Union (London region), who represents 2,000 lecturers at the university, hopes to persuade the management there are better ways of saving money than making people redundant.
He added: “This redundancy strategy is unhealthy for the university.”
A spokeswoman for London Met said: “The detail of any redundancies is being worked through in consultation with our unions. We will not comment further until this process is complete.”
Unions are holding a demonstration outside the university tower building in Holloway Road at 4pm on Wednesday.

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