Trade union bosses unite to save Sussex University jobs (From The Argus)

Trade union bosses unite to save Sussex University jobs

12:00pm Sunday 6th December 2009 in

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Trade union bosses have pledged to unite against threats to more than 100 jobs.

The promise came as officials from various unions addressed hundreds of students at a protest in the University of Sussex Students Union last night.

The mass-meeting was part of an ongoing campaign against its managment’s proposals to cut 115 jobs in a bid to save £5 million in 2010/11.

Dave Jones, from the Brighton and Hove branch of Unison, said: “I’m prepared to work together to help with these job cuts.

“In the past year more than 1,000 jobs have gone in this city. We must fight the university on their proposals.

“Cutbacks always have a knock-on affect on everybody in society.”

Representatives from the University and College Union, train drivers’ union Aslef and the GMB, who succesfuly represented Brighton and Hove’s CityClean bin workers in strike action last month, also spoke out.

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party, told the meeting the cuts would affect the university in the long-run She said: “Universities are about the quality and commitment of staff and its students.

“We need the management to take their proposals off the table.”

Proposals tabled by University leaders would see staff cuts in courses including life sciences, informatics and engineering and design.

About half the jobs are expected to go in support services, such as porters and student advisors.

Unisex, a sexual health, drug and alcohol awareness service, run jointly with the University of Brighton, will also be scrapped, while the university’s creche and nursery could be taken over by a third party.

Owen Holland, who is studying a MA in Critical Theory, said: “Nobody supports these cuts at all.

“The students, the staff, nobody. You can see from the numbers of people here.”

The meeting came on the same day the university confirmed it would be pay for a outside group to help deal with media enquiries.

A spokesman for the University said: “Good communications with staff and students is especially important at this time.

“Without this additional support, the important day-to-day work of the university team would have to be curtailed.”

She added it would be paid for by an existing donor of the university.