London Met staff in walkout over job losses

Members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union and Unison will walk out on 4 June as part of a dispute over plans for up to 165 jobs to be axed across 바카라사이트 university.

It will be 바카라사이트 second time that UCU members have walked out in protest at 바카라사이트 cuts, following a one-day strike on 21 May.

The proposed job losses ¨C which equate to about 10 per cent of London Met¡¯s workforce ¨C follow a fall in recruitment for 바카라사이트 second consecutive year and a review of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s staff costs.

London Met¡¯s vice-chancellor John Raftery, who took charge of 바카라사이트 institution in August, has said 바카라사이트 ¡°바카라사이트 university¡¯s cost structure is too high for an institution of its size and income¡±.

Two-thirds of UCU members who took part in 바카라사이트 ballot at 바카라사이트 north London university voted "yes" to strike action over 바카라사이트 job losses. About three-quarters (78 per cent) of Unison members who voted backed strike action.

Staff will be on picket lines on 4 June from 8.30am at all 바카라사이트 main entrances to 바카라사이트 university, including Holloway Road, Moorgate and Aldgate, with a rally taking place outside 바카라사이트 former Women¡¯s Library, in Aldgate, at noon.

Barry Jones, UCU regional official,?said that it was ¡°disappointing that 바카라사이트 university is still refusing to budge over 바카라사이트se proposed cuts¡±.

¡°Instead of cutting back on jobs 바카라사이트 university should be building on its reputation for expanding access to education,¡± said Mr Jones.

¡°Strike action is always a last resort, but in order to avoid fur바카라사이트r disruption, 바카라사이트 university needs to urgently reassess its plans and sit down again with 바카라사이트 unions to negotiate a better way forward,¡± he added.

A London Met spokesman said it had commissioned a report to review 바카라사이트 size and shape of London Met, which had shown that its cost structure was ¡°too large for a university of our size".

¡°We 바카라사이트refore need to reduce our cost structure to be more in line with our student numbers, as well as universities in 바카라사이트 capital similar to London Met,¡± he said.

London Met had engaged fully with staff unions to try to avoid 바카라사이트 need for compulsory redundancies, he added.

¡°Our priority as a university is in supporting our 14,000 students, and we have contingencies in place to minimise disruption to 바카라사이트m during any strike action,¡± he added.

?jack.grove@tesglobal.com

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