Stop The Cuts at London Met – open letter

Dear London Met Board of Governors,

We are writing to implore you to reconsider the current plan to cut 165 academic and professional support staff at the university, and instead join with staff and students in developing an alternative plan to effectively grow the university to secure its future.

London Met has long played a vital role in providing educational opportunities for some of the most disadvantaged groups in society, and we are some of its very many supporters. Unfortunately, we believe that its proud record of widening participation and student centred teaching and learning is now being put at significant risk by the current redundancy plan and strategy of shrinkage being pursued by the vice-chancellor.

We further believe such staff cuts will only act to greatly accelerate the spiral of decline that has already significantly damaged the university’s prospects over the past few years.

The loss of London Met would be a loss for the whole of London, and, in particular, the predominately working class communities it expressly serves. We therefore urgently call upon you to turn away from this misguided strategy of shrinkage, rescind the planned 165 job cuts, and join with staff and students in developing a coherent, workable, and foreword looking recovery plan for the necessary re-growth of London Met to enable it to continue serving the needs of its communities.

Current signatories include:

Jeremy Corbyn, MP (Islington North)
Rushanara Ali, MP (Bethnal Green and Bow)
David Lammy, MP (Tottenham)
Catherine West, MP (Hornsey and Wood Green)
Rachael Saunders, Tower Hamlets Councillor, and Leader of Tower Hamlets Labour Group
Theresa Debono, Mayor of Islington, and Islington Councillor (Lab)
Rabina Khan, Tower Hamlets Councillor (Tower Hamlets First), and Tower Hamlets Mayoral Candidate
John Pierce, Tower Hamlets Councillor (Lab)
Amy Whitelock-Gibbs, Tower Hamlets Councillor (Lab)
Nurulla Turan, Tower Hamlets Councillor (Lab)
James Murray, Islington Councillor (Lab)
Gary Heather, Islington Councillor (Lab)
Jean-Roger Kaseki, Islington Councillor (Lab)
Olly Parker, Islington Councillor (Lab)
Martin Klute, Islington Councillor (Lab)
Dave Poyser, Islington Councillor (Lab)
Caroline Russell, Islington Councillor (Green)

Frances O’Grady, General Secretary TUC
Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary SERTUC
Sally Hunt, General Secretary UCU
Len McCluskey, General Secretary Unite the Union
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary PCS
Michelle Stanistreet, General Secretary, National Union of Journalists
Ronnie Draper, General Secretary BFAWU
Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary NUT
Roger Mckenzie, Assistant General Secretary Unison
Andy Dark, Assistant General Secretary, Fire Brigades Union
Ian Hodson, President BFAWU
Liz Lawrence, President UCU
Jon Rogers, Unison National Executive

John McDonnell, MP (Hayes and Harlington)
Caroline Lucas, MP (Brighton Pavilion)
Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales

Sorana Vieru, NUS Vice President Higher Education-Elect
Shakira Martin, President, Lewisham Southwark College SU and NUS Vice President Further Education-Elect
Piers Telemacque, NUS Vice-President, Society and Citizenship
Shelly Asquith, President, SU University of the Arts and NUS Vice-President Welfare-Elect
Aaron Kiely (NUS National Executive, and London Met student)

Zita Holborn, National Co-Chair BARAC

Mike Polydorou, Chair Of London Met Student Council, Faculty Of Life Science & Computing Faculty Board,
Chris Rudd, Vice Chair of London Met Student Council & Holloway Hub Committee
Melania Manti, Student Council Representative London Met Academic Board & Faculty Star LLB Law With International Relations
Barbara Ntumy, London Met Student Council & NUS Women’s Committee
Piyal Matilal, London Met Student Union Trustee

Sean Vernell (Secretary, City and Islington College UCU)
Richard McEwan (Secretary, Tower Hamlets College UCU, and Vice-Chair Further Education Committee UCU

Max Watson (Secretary, London Met Unison)
Mark Campbell (Chair, London Met UCU)

Please click this link to sign the letter:

http://www.ucu.org.uk/stopthelondonmetcuts

And many thanks to all of you who sign and are helping us spread this letter far and wide!!!!

2 Replies to “Stop The Cuts at London Met – open letter”

  1. I urge everyone to sign this petition as the Met is well loved and desperately needed in this era of cuts

  2. I studied and later on taught at the University. Its contribution to the community cannot be underestimated. Where are these cuts going to stop?

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