Joint Trade Union Statement in response to proposed redundancies at MMU December 15th 2009

The trades unions at Manchester Metropolitan University – UNISON, GMB, UCU – have this morning been notified of proposals for redundancies, initially of 127 support staff. We are outraged at this news and wish to make it clear to the public, the students and the staff of MMU, that we do not accept the need for these drastic measures and that we intend to resist any and all compulsory redundancies.

We have not been given evidence of any immediate financial crisis at MMU that could be used to justify such job losses. We have been told that this current and future governments are likely to reduce public spending in future, and this may require efficiency savings in universities. In this situation what is needed is a clear vision for the future of the university and a consistent dialogue with staff trades unions about how to develop the organization. Instead we are faced by a reduction in trades union facilities, in a clear attack on trade union organisation at Manchester Metropolitan University.

We will be consulting our members on a vote of No Confidence in the Vice-Chancellor. The current senior management team have presided over a chaotic re-organisation of administrative structures; and a series of u-turns on the university strategy for campus development. We have no confidence in their ability to take the University forward or in their justifications for redundancies.

Redundancies amongst support staff will have a negative impact on the experience students have whilst at University. Students deserve decent services and these need to be adequately staffed. Many of our staff live locally and this proposal will also damage the university’s reputation in the local community.

At a time when billions of pounds of public money has been spent on propping up the banking system, we need to fund our universities too. Higher education is more than ever about providing a future for our young people and for our communities – MMU has a proud tradition of widening participation and this is something the trades unions intend to defend. The trade union vision for this university is one where students really do come first, where people are seen as more important than buildings, and where staff are recognized for their commitment to education.

We will fight to defend jobs and education