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From The Socialist newspaper, 18 November 2020
Strike action ballot at UEL over job cuts
UCU picket line UEL Stratford 24 February 2020 (Click to enlarge)
The University and College Union (UCU) has warned the University of East London (UEL) of potential industrial action over the university's decision to push ahead with compulsory job cuts.
UCU will ballot members at UEL starting on 17 November and finishing on 16 December. The dispute centres on ten compulsory job cuts, including seven to academic posts, and the knock-on additional workload that staff would face. In July, UEL said it needed to make 134 people redundant due to an expected decline in student numbers due to Covid-19, but the university is forecasting higher student enrolments than last year. The cuts would mean 92 jobs would go in total, after 82 staff agreed to take voluntary redundancy.
The union said it sent a worrying message to students that the university was cutting almost 100 jobs, despite the university forecasting an increase in student enrolments, and with staff workloads already at unbearable levels.
Agreement has been reached to resolve the dispute between Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and the UCU, in relation to potential compulsory redundancies. The university proposed to cut over 100 jobs, and the agreement now includes a commitment to no compulsory redundancies.
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
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In The Socialist 18 November 2020:
What we think
Tory crisis cannot be 'reset' - workers need a new mass party
News
Tories in turmoil... 'Reset' the whole system! Fight for socialism
Croydon Council declares bankruptcy - no cuts in Croydon or any other council
System failing thousands of children in care
Race disparity gets worse - fight to improve living standards for all
Covid
Covid, vaccines, 'big pharma' - and the need for socialism
Students
Tories student 'evacuation' plan will not work
Wales exams scrapped: What's behind the headline?
Schools
Campaign for school Covid safety must continue
Workplace news
Women workers need strong trade unions to defend their jobs, pay and services
Optare: Right to strike defended
Overcrowded Little Ilford School strikes against more expansion
Strike action ballot at UEL over job cuts
Hackney council parking services brought in-house
TUSC
After Corbyn: TUSC and the fight for working-class political representation
Campaigns
Manchester student occupation - end rip-off rent, free education now
#SpyCops inquiry - Revealing police violence against Socialists
Stop Leicester hospital closure
Youth
Young Socialists organising for our future
Obituary
Letters
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