Essex UCU Statement in Support of the University of Leicester Staff, Jan 28 2021

Essex UCU Statement in Support of the University of Leicester Staff

 

Essex UCU condemns the current attempt to make 145 University of Leicester staff members redundant across 5 academic departments and 3 professional service units. Not only is this an attack on colleagues’ livelihoods and working conditions, it is an attack on students, further undermining their education. To undertake such a restructuring in the midst of a global pandemic where staff are already facing a workload crisis, one where precarious staff have already lost their employment, is irresponsible and abhorrent.

 

We further condemn both the attack on union representatives and committee members who have been targeted for redundancy, and the attempts to undermine concerted efforts at the University of Leicester to decolonise their curriculum. This clearly political campaign must be opposed and we stand in solidarity with the recent decision by the Leicester UCU branch to ballot for immediate industrial action.

 

We urge senior management at the University of Leicester to reverse their decision and to engage immediately in good faith negotiations with Leicester UCU. We urge all members to support their campaign and to sign the letters of support below.

 

Essex UCU

 

On the abolishment of Medieval and Early Modern English Literature:

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZksZuLqKYu0tETr8T61rEJ3WbtG8R7HVadOBjUQnDqw/edit

 

 

On the abolishment of political economy and critical management studies:

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6LKASpFkpwidMcqFrNl_dKzI07as4ZbtOQAiuJWpSlWwNIA/viewform

 

Further information can be found here:

 

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/leicester-uni-staff-support-vote-no-confidence-leadership-over-threat-redundancies

 

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