Delegates call for unity against cuts

The call for unity gathered urgency at the conference as job losses and pay cuts in higher education gather pace.

In December, Business Secretary Peter Mandelson announced cuts of over £730 million by 2013 to help reduce the budget deficit, the biggest claw-back in any public-sector industry.

Unison has been working closely with student unions and University and College Union branches across the country to discuss tactics and broaden support for campaigns against attacks on jobs.

Last year London Metropolitan University management announced 550 job cuts because of a £38m deficit in the budget. Students and teachers protested, occupied parts of the university and worked with other trade unions outside the university.

Branch delegate Max Watson said: “We have to be prepared to get together to fight.

“We had three days of strike action and had the overall cuts figure reduced by 200.”

The union insisted that the government’s approach was counterproductive as “short-term cuts mean long-term damage” to the economy.

North-west higher education support staff representative Deborah Dixon said: “The cuts will not restore economic stability, they will just act as an elastoplast over the wounds.”

She added: “Higher education is not sexy but without it there is no future for our children and society and we will be unable to compete in the consumer society that we all exist.

“Most of us here wouldn’t have a job either.”

As support staff are likely to be hardest hit by job losses in the sector, delegates said they were infuriated that employers take the attitude that these workers are disposable.

General secretary Dave Prentis highlighted that universities cannot be run by lecturers alone.

“The government talks about protecting front-line staff, but what does that mean?” he asked.

“Lecturers need to get on with the job of teaching students - they cannot do their own administration, collect fees, manage university property or clean desks,” he said.

“Why should university workers take pay and job cuts, when the bankers who caused this crisis are still making off with millions in bonuses?”