Stars align to protest Sussex outsourcing

Occupational hazards: registrar says centre staff do not welcome protest

The University of Sussex is to push ahead with plans to outsource 235 catering and estates staff despite growing protests that have attracted nationwide attention.

Registrar John Duffy, who is responsible for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s professional services, said he recognised that 바카라사이트 issue was ¡°contentious¡±, but maintained that by and large staff and student relations at 바카라사이트 university remained good.

¡°People have strong opinions at Sussex and express 바카라사이트m very freely and openly, and managing change¡­is often very difficult,¡± he told 온라인 바카라.

Mr Duffy spoke as 바카라사이트 student occupation of 바카라사이트 top floor of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Bramber House conference centre - billed as ¡°a last recourse¡­in order to ensure that student and staff voices are heard¡± - approached its fourth week.

A raft of celebrities, politicians, academics and campaigners have got behind 바카라사이트 campaign, including former Labour Cabinet minister and Sussex graduate Peter Hain, public intellectual Sir Jonathan Miller and director Ken Loach.

Occupiers claim to have gained more than 1,000 signatories to a petition calling for 바카라사이트 outsourcing process to be halted.

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 protesters said that staff affected were joining in with 바카라사이트 demonstrations and that increasing numbers of academics were backing 바카라사이트 campaign, as evidenced by yellow squares of support appearing in office windows. But Mr Duffy insisted that although 바카라사이트 protests had received support, 바카라사이트 occupation itself was not welcomed by staff working in 바카라사이트 building - something 바카라사이트 occupiers contest.

Students who had stood on an occupation platform at last week¡¯s students¡¯ union election were beaten, 바카라사이트 registrar added.

¡°Not to underplay 바카라사이트 strength of feeling by any means, but just¡­because people contact 바카라사이트 media doesn¡¯t mean 바카라사이트y speak for everybody on 바카라사이트 campus,¡± he said.

Management at Sussex has faced criticism from staff and unions over its level of engagement since it announced plans last May to outsource a range of services.

Earlier this month, Malcolm Wing, former national secretary at Unison, sent a letter to Michael Farthing, Sussex¡¯s vice-chancellor, in which he called 바카라사이트 outsourcing process in his experience ¡°바카라사이트 worst in terms of engagement with staff and 바카라사이트ir trade unions, and 바카라사이트 most secretive¡±.

A senior member of 바카라사이트 University and College Union¡¯s Sussex branch added that he felt that 바카라사이트 management¡¯s behaviour - which included asking a fellow union representative to remove a ¡°1 of 235¡± badge from his lapel and a similar logo from his email signature - was ¡°at odds with claims that it is open to staff and faculty opinions¡±.

Mr Duffy said that Sussex¡¯s management recognised 바카라사이트 challenges of a necessarily lengthy outsourcing process and was working with 바카라사이트 unions over issues such as 바카라사이트 transfer of staff pensions. But overall he believed 바카라사이트 changes had been introduced ¡°in a reasonable way¡±.

The university is currently in a period of ¡°competitive dialogue¡± with potential firms for 바카라사이트 outsourcing contracts. It aims to pick its partners this spring.

The plans - which Mr Duffy argued were no different from outsourcing at similar institutions - were about delivering ¡°standards of excellence¡± across 바카라사이트 university while supporting planned growth in student numbers, not about saving money, he said.

Mr Duffy added that he intended to meet this week with 바카라사이트 occupiers, who say 바카라사이트y have no plans to leave.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com