This week university management will announce their proposals for cuts to Professional Services. As discussed by the Vice Chancelor last week, the approach taken at some universities is to officially place hundreds of staff at risk of redundancy, creating anxiety and uncertainty for many. Loughborough is taking a more targeted approach, having made specific decisions about areas where they feel cuts can be made. As a result, in the next few days, the vast majority of us will be breathing a sigh of relief as we discover that our jobs are not in the firing line.
It is crucial, and fundamental to the core values of trade unions, that we do not turn away from the situation and leave small number of our colleagues and friends feeling isolated and afraid. We must remain united – they must be supported by the union.
In an age where everything from your entertainment to your toilet roll can be a subscription service where a monthly fee is exchanged for a product dropped into your lap, we must remember that a union is not the same thing. I, as branch Chair, am not the union. The Loughborough UCU committee is not the union. Jo Grady is not the union. You are the union. We are the union. Netflix didn’t bring us pensions, the weekend or safe workplaces. Collective union action brought us those things. A subscription service can’t support our colleagues. We can.
It is UCU policy to always oppose redundancies and to seek other options. This week we will enter a period of at least 30 days’ consultation on the restructure proposals. This means we have a month to work together to consider and propose alternatives, which management must take seriously. You are the experts in your areas of work. If there are ways you think money can be saved that could help protect jobs then share them.
As well as the branch General Meeting on Wednesday we will be organising regular meetings both in departments and for all members to talk about what’s happening, provide support, and share alternative proposals that we can take to management.
We’re all overwhelmed by bad situations we can do little about. With this situation we can all make a big difference. Let’s stay engaged and work together.