UNISON has identified £3.5M worth of alternative savings and demonstrated there is no need for any compulsory redundancies of support staff at London Met Uni.

UNISON published their alternative proposals today, 18th July, and sent to all members. We have encouraged comments and further contributions from the rank and file on a document that has identified an enormous £3.5M worth of alternative savings.

These savings include: ending bonus all schemes immediately (£1.7M), ending ‘Six-figure salaries’ for senior staff (£1.3M) and a number of other suggestions.

UNISON has also objected to the creation of yet more senior management posts, has made a strong case for extending the otherwise limited ‘Voluntary’ redundancy scheme, and exemplified changes that involve no compulsory redundancies for support staff.

UNISON is still in dispute with management over their failure to avoid compulsory redundancies, and took a successful day of strike action on 22nd June, coordinated with the UCU and supported by the Students’ Union.

The current ‘live’ ballot has not been actioned again yet because UNISON is currently in negotiations to try to avoid any compulsory redundancies.

Max Watson, Chairperson, said:

“Our members have been steadfast, we have stood firm on our principles and taken a strong stance against job cuts. We will not accept compulsory redundancies and have demonstrated clearly they are not necessary.

“Management need us to be on board for the future survival of London Met and we want to work with them to move forward in uncertain times. However, unless they take serious steps to prevent compulsory redundancies – and we’ve shown how they can do so – then we shall have to take decisions over what action we take next.”

The current Section 188 consultation period is formally now finished, despite the unions’ repeated requests for further time to consult. Branch Secretary, Allan Pike, said:

“We are extremely concerned that such dramatic cuts to staffing and students’ service provision within the time-frame management are trying to push through will have a severely negative impact on our students and the remaining staff.

“Many union members are already complaining about excessive and unrealistic workloads, for example. This can only get worse if management keep on cutting too deep and too fast.”

Future meetings are to be held shortly with management and UNISON hopes to negotiate a redundancy avoidance procedure to prevent further conflict and have repeated shown our willingness to go to ACAS if need be. UNISON all-members branch meetings will be announced shortly. Watch this space for more info.

Your union is a democratic, campaigning branch and it relies on all members to take part. Get involved – get active! Contact your local reps to discuss what you can do to help your union.

Photos (C) News Line

UNISON members took part in strike action on 22nd June in opposition to compulsory redundancies at London Met. The day of industrial action, coordinated with UCU and supported by the Students Union, was a great success.

Solid pickets were outside all university buildings and many services were affected, with some buildings closing entirely.

In the afternoon we took part in a march from Highbury Fields to rally outside the Tower Building at north campus in order to lobby the meeting of the Board of Governors taking place there.

The rally totalled over 100 people and included speeches from Jeremy Corbyn, MP, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS union, Denise Bertuchi, UNISON, Mark Bergfield and Claire Solomon, NUS, as well as local speakers, Claire Locke, Mark Campbell and Max Watson.

We also had music and activities organised with the support of the Students Union (see details here).

Even before we went out on strike, our collective action started to yield results. First management announced that the statutory terms for redundancy pay originally offered were to be doubled. Then, as the strike day made its impact, management conceded the need for a voluntary redundancy scheme – but failed to meet with us to agree the (limited) terms of  such a scheme.

Despite these gains, there are still many aspects of the current offer that we cannot accept. Management are  still:

• Refusing to go to ACAS to negotiate a redundancy avoidance policy
• Continuing widespread use of Agency staff instead of creating redeployment opportunities
• Failing to avoid compulsory redundancies by extending an acceptable VR scheme

Throughout this whole process, management have not engaged or properly consulted with the trade unions over our proposals. They have consistently been vague and unresponsive in our negotiations with them.

We are still in a statutory 60 day period of what is supposed to be “meaningful negotiations” to avoid redundancies but are continually  frustrated with lack of information.

Our dispute therefore remains live. Although we are pleased that there has been some movement on the issue of a Voluntary Redundancy scheme, the details remain patchy and the redundancy pay offer remains on the same terms.

UNISON Branch Committee sent a thank you email to all our members who participated in an inspiring day of action – and we also wish to thank the many supporters who came to join our pickets lines, show solidarity, and came on the demo with us.

The London Met Uni Community that we are building is getting stronger and stronger – you did us proud! Thank you for your support!

“The London Met UNISON Branch would like to extend a huge thank you to our members who both picketed yesterday and also observed the democratically expressed wish of members to take strike action.  The coordinated strike action with our academic colleagues in UCU was a tremendous success; every building in both campuses had a strong and visible picket line and we are delighted to report that we had several members of staff join UNISON on the actual picket line, and then take part in the pickets for the rest of the day.

We have demonstrated that the mere threat of our members taking action produced movement, it was clear that the democratic mandate to strike was absolutely necessary to keep management mindful that more has to be provided in order to end our dispute. We hope that yesterday’s action will have demonstrated that our members will not allow management to treat them with disrespect, and to come back and talk to us again with a serious offer that meets the reasonable demands of our members.  If they do not then we have a mandate to continue to fight for you and all our members until we get those demands met.”

We shall keep you all informed of progress. See here for more reports:

BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13874929
Indy:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/university-on-strike-over-cuts-2300627.html
SWP:

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=25244

More photos here: http://www.londonmetunison.org.uk/2011/08/june-united-strike-action-photo-slide-show/
Watch a short film from the strike here:

http://www.londonmetunison.org.uk/2011/08/reel-news-report-strike-action-at-london-metropolitan-university-22-06-11/

It is with great sadness that the Branch learnt of the death of Pete McGreal, 44, who passed away on Saturday 25th June 2011 following a cycle accident. Pete was a Health and Safety rep in the City campus, and was an active and respected member of the Branch Committee, who will be sorely missed.

The Branch have sent a letter of condolence to Pete’s family. We await further information as to the funeral arrangements. His family have requested that donations in Pete’s memory should be made to the Royal London HEMS Air Ambulance Service
www.londonsairambulance.co​m

We felt the need to pay tribute to Pete and keep a page for our memories of him on our website. Please follow this link for our memories of Pete McGreal.

Pete McGreal,
March 8, 1967 – June 25, 2011
Brilliant dad, soul-mate, brother, uncle and cherished friend. A football
fanatical, Smiths-loving, left-leaning, life-enhancing, precious and
beautiful man.

Pete’s funeral will take place on Thursday, July 14 at 12.30pm at Epping
Forest Burial Park, Kiln Road, North Weald, Epping, Essex CM16 6AD.
www.woodlandburialparks.co​.uk
Nearest tube: Epping, Central Line.

And afterwards at The Sir Alfred Hitchcock, 147 Whipps Cross Road, London
E11 1NP. Tel: 020 8530 3724
www.siralfredhitchcock.com
Nearest tube: Leytonstone, Central Line.

All friends welcome. The event will be a celebration of Pete’s life so dress
accordingly.

If you require more details, directions or help with accommodation, email
thewatsonmoores@sky.com

If you are traveling on public transport and require help getting from
Epping Station to the burial park, please let us know by Monday, July 11.

No flowers please. Donations in Pete’s memory
if desired to Royal London HEMS Air Ambulance Service
www.londonsairambulance.co​m