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Second walk-out at crisis-torn university
LECTURERS and staff at crisis-torn London Metropolitan University have called another day of industrial action as they fight to save hundreds of jobs.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU), representing lecturers, and Unison, representing staff, will walk out of work on July 2. It is the second strike at the university in two months since shock proposals to axe 550 full time staff posts were announced in March.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “The situation at London Met is bad enough as it is and industrial action was the last thing we wanted to see. However, the institution’s failing management has left us with no other option.” LMU has been plunged into crisis after auditors found they had wrongly claimed around £34.5million in government funding – and ordered them to pay it back while slashing their funding.
Original plans to cull 550 jobs have been scaled back to 330, to be made in July 2010. LMU has approved just 113 applications for voluntary redundancy, equivalent to 104 posts, leaving 226 posts facing the axe. UCU says 113 staff and lecturers who applied for voluntary redundancy have been rejected, leaving others who want to keep their jobs facing the sack.
Ms Hunt called the situation “outrageous”.
LMU said: “Some applications from volunteers had to be declined in order to ensure continued business continuity. Where possible, the university will offer redeployment to displaced staff.” |
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