'You have my full support and the backing of all of UCU in your fight to protect academic jobs and full union recognition. London Met stands alone in the post-16 education sector in its attempts to derecognise the legitimate voice of academic staff. We cannot - and will not - let this happen.
Your demonstration and the imminent industrial action ballot are facets of the campaign to regain what is by any measure of natural justice ours of right. We will continue to deploy the resources of the union to aid you in any way we can to win this fight.
Best wishes and good luck.'
Mark Serwotka - PCS General Secretary
'Members of our Parliamentary Group at Westminster will be alerted to the importance of signing the Early Day Motion. I have also signed your petition and written to Brian Roper to protest at his refusal to fully recognise and discuss with UCU. Your campaign has my full support and I hope you are successful. Please contact me again if I can help further.'
George Galloway MP - Bethnal Green and Bow
'The threat to sack 60 lectuerers and the effective derecognition of the UCU union are totally unacceptable. I understand the concerns and worries many of you must be experiencing. You should, however, be confident in both your ability to stand together to resist this attack - as you have done before - and in the overwhelming support you enjoy across Tower Hamlets.
'The new cabinet level universities minister John Denham has the chance to indicate a genuine change in direction for this government as against the last by immediately condemning the union-busting tactics of management at London Met and demanding that the authorities enter meaningful negotiations with the union. I have told your union officers that you have my full support and I am willing to attend public meetings, rallies and protests as you see fit.
'We all hope management will pull back from this confrontation. But should you decide you need to take action then be assured there will be active support from other trade unionists and the general public in east London and beyond.
Lyn Brown MP - West Ham, Parliamentary Private Secretary (Rt Hon John Denham, Secretary of State),
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
'I hope you will be pleased to note that I have added my signature to EDM 1776 , and can I take this opportunity to thank you for bringing it to my attention. I share your concern that the London Metrpolitan University (LMU) has, thus far, refused to recognise the University and College Union as the representative union of staff members.
'Given the threat of compulsory redundancies that face some staff, I also agree that meaningful discussions between LMU senior management and UCU representatives should be held as a matter of urgency. I firmly believe that constructive dialogue between management and employee's representatives is integral to building a successful and motivated workforce. Therefore I find the apparent attitude of LMU towards its employee's representatives very disappointing.'
John McDonnell MP - Hayes and Harlington
'I urge the Governors to intervene to enable proper negotiations to take place. This issue is damaging the university's reputation and bringing the university into disrepute.'
Cllr. Darren Johnson AM, Green Party Group, London Assembly
'I am certainly happy to give my public support to London Met UCU and have tabled a formal question to the Mayor of London as follows:-'
'Are you concerned by the refusal of London Metropolitan University to consult the University College Union (UCU), which is recognised by staff as their representative union and will you write to the Vice-Chancellor urging him to acknowledge that UCU is the recognised union representing academic staff at London Met and that he enter into meaningful discussions with UCU officers as a matter of urgency on the threatened redundancies and other outstanding issues?'
Neil Gerrard MP - Walthamstow
'I have signed the EDM to which you referred, and I hope that many more MPs will sign it to demonstrate their unhappiness at the way the University have behaved. This is not the first time that I have been contacted about problems at the University. I hope that the University will start meaningful negotiations.'
Professor Udo Schuklenk, Department of Philosophy, Queens University, Canada
'It is quite remarkable that an institution with such historic ties to the trade union movement should treat its staff and their unions in such a manner!'
University of Leicester UCU
'Your management's decision to try to deny recognition to UCU is shocking and absurd, and clearly a crude and pathetic attempt to break one of our strongest and most effective branches.
'It is not long since you were all an inspiration to us in your struggle for decent terms and conditions, and ultimately for jobs. We are appalled that you have been forced by your incorrigibly stupid and belligerent `management` to enter into dispute again, but we are convinced that you will be successful in your latest struggle We offer you our full support in achieving that, including as a first step ensuring that our members are fully aware of the academic boycott (which should be implemented by the national union immediately) and the reason for it.
Linda Newman, UCU President
'UCU members and other staff at London Met Uni have been treated appallingly. All members want is appropriate recognition for the work that they do, the freedom and facilities to undertake that work and to contribute to the organisation. The refusal to honour existing recognition agreements is an attack on democracy and trade union rights. UCU will contine to support its members in this fight.'
Enzian Baur, London Met Student
'As an MSc student I have had the opportunity to experience the expertise of the knowledgeable staff on a weekly basis and benefit from their dedication and support they afford to their students as well as to the University. It’s a shame that their hard work and dedication is not acknowledged.'
Patrick Scott, National Union of Journalists
'I'm also a postgraduate student at London Metropolitan University. Great university, great lecturers and staff, shame about the Vice Chancellor.'
University of York UCU
'The York UCU Local Association fully supports our colleagues at London Metropolitan University in their campaign. We condemn the management of London Metropolitan University for what is nothing more than a crude union busting operation. We stand with you in your fight to stop job cuts and pledge to support you in your struggle in whatever way we can.'
Noreen Fatima, Vice-President, London Met Students Union
'Please for the sake of student interests do not take the best of our staff away. We have lost some of the best people through cuts and redundancies and it is a great blow to student welfare. Please recognise and consult Staff and Student Unions on deciding any course of action. Education is no longer free, it is paid for and students do not deserve cuts they deserve more support and help.'
Hugh Kerr, NUJ Scottish EC
'As a former secretary of the NATFHE Coordinating committee at North London and as a staff governor who voted to appoint Brian Roper I am shocked by this action. As a former Labour MEP one might hope that the ex secretary of the AUT and new education minister Lord Triesman might intervene but I'm not holding my breath!'
De Montfort University UCU
'We were shocked to hear that your management were refusing to acknowledge the fact that UCU inherited agreements upon the merger of AUT and NATFHE. Difficult though our management sometimes are, they didn't think of that particular piece of twisted logic! Other managements up and down the country are no doubt scouring their "Victorian Mill Owners' Guide to Industrial Relations" handbooks looking for similar ways to bypass and attack our organisation.
'We wish you success in your struggle and will do everything in our power to help you fight the redundancy proposals and for your rightful recognition. If ever the national Union needed to react strongly, with resolute determination, it is now.
"When the Union's inspiration through the workers' blood shall run, There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun, But what force on Earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one, For the Union makes us strong!"
Jill Jones, UCU NEC, Westminster University
'It's time for Londonmet to join the 21st century in its treatment of staff. It is a blot on the sector at the moment.'
Liz Lawrence, UCU NEC, Sheffield Hallam University UCU
'Your campaign for union recognition and against redundancies must be supported by all UCU members and the wider trade union movement.
'I know from personal experience how difficult it is for union representatives to work in a hostile climate. Nine years ago at Sheffield Hallam we had a situation in which the unions were not informed of what was happening, consulted with or negotiated with. The senior management hoped we would go away, but we did not. In 2001 at Sheffield Hallam draconian pay deductions were imposed on some staff for partial performance during an industrial dispute. NATFHE responded with a protest campaign, a vote of no confidence in the Vice Chancellor and an academic boycott. I was one of the local union representatives who was involved in the negotiations which led to the lifting of the academic boycott. We achieved the creation of a functioning local Joint Negotiating Committee, a commitment to a more measured response to industrial action in future and eventually the establishment of partnership working. I'm not saying everything is perfect at SHU, but we do now have much more constructive working relationships between the unions and HR. It is certainly a very different context from 2001. Members no longer feel that to be a union rep means you are putting your job on the line, as it felt in 2001.
'I hope that members at London Met will get the solidarity and support that SHU NATFHE received in 2001. As UCU we should be able to do more than AUT and NATFHE were able to do separately. The academic boycott and the support from outside certainly helped us to turn the situation around. Please stand firm, support your union officers and organise resistance. I know it's not easy, but it can be done. In solidarity.'
Newcastle University UCU
'Newcastle University UCU offers its wholehearted support to staff at London Metropolitan University facing derecognition and redundancies. We wish you the very best of your luck in your demonstration/rally on Wednesday. A boycott of London Metropolitan University is the least we can do to help you.'
'Newcastle University has faced similar problems, but not on the same scale as yourselves, over the last few years, and appreciated the support offered by other trade union branches.
'We also ran petitions (to all University staff and students) and lobbied University bodies as well as informing the management that we were exploring industrial action that was voted for at General Meetings. This strategy seemed to work for us.
'In previous years we recognised that at nearby Sunderland and Northumbria universities the threat of compulsory redundancies was successfully fought off by mobilising the membership and getting overwhelming votes in favour of action. This indicates that persuasion and resistance can work. We offer our solidarity in your fight to defend jobs and education.'
Nottingham Trent UCU
'Nottingham Trent UCU wish to express solidarity and support to their colleagues and friends at London Met during the ongoing difficulties that you are facing with London Met management. We have drawn attention to the online petition and encouraged members to write to their MP re the EDM.
'Whilst our difficulties at NTU are not as stark as those being faced at London Met our management has just imposed a new policy on handling “at risk” situations, has come up with absurd unilateral proposals on red circling staff under the NFA and is using the guise of the NATFHE / AUT merger to cut out trade union facility time. We also have two UCU members under notice of compulsory redundancy. (i.e. we have de-recognition by stealth).'
SOAS Unison
'The SOAS UNISON Branch fully supports the UCU in your campaign and condemns the management of London Metropolitan University for what can only be seen as a crude union busting operation. We also stand with you in your fight to stop further job cuts and pledge to support you in whatever way we can.'
Professor Malcolm Povey, UCU NEC, Leeds University
'An education institution which attacks its teachers cannot properly educate its students.'
G Douglas Higgison, Oxford University
'The University seems to be deliberately attacking its academic staff members right to Union representation. Surely the role of the Governors in such a dispute is to support the status quo and insist that the University management recognise UCU as they did AUT and NATFHE.'
Charlotte Bretherton, Liverpool John Moores University
'As a former External Examiner at London Metropolitan University I am well aware of the shabby treatment suffered by the excellent staff there. These new measures are shocking but not surprising, given the appalling management at London Met.'
Professor Bidyut Chakrabarty, University of Delhi
'As a committed academic, nurtured in liberal-democratic milieu, I believe that negotiation is the best possible way to sort-out the problems in an amicable way. I have no doubt that if this path is followed sincerely, there will hardly be problems that remain insurmountable. Neither job cuts nor capping the trade union actvities is going to help the resolution of the crisis. Hence I make an earnest appeal to both the University Governors and coleagues in the University to sit across the table for heart-to-heart dialogue to defuse the situation.'
Payne Mthimkhulu, Hackney Community College
'It is a pity that a university that houses the TUC library is de-recognising the union. The TUC must put pressure on the Vice-Chancellor to recognise and, consult and negotiate with UCU. This is especially hard for me (a former student of the university when it was PNL) to take, as a committed trade unionist.'
Bob Waugh, Oxford Brookes University
'It has to be asked whether the management of London Met is "fit for purpose". What do these people think higher education is about? What it should be is an education that creates active adult citizens of a democratic society. How can that happen when universities are run in this way?'
Jim Guild, UCU NEC and Sussex University
'London Met's reputation is once again dragged through the mud by their anti-union management. The TUC should withdraw their archives from LMU and transfer them somewhere else.'
Professor Goran Ungar, Sheffield University
'It is lamentable that a university should resort to methods that can only be described as dirty tricks. Such behaviour does not do much for the institution's reputation.'
Dr. Sue Blackwell, UCU NEC, Birmingham University
'Time to draw a line in the sand and defeat the Eddie Shah of the Higher Education sector!'
Maire Daley, UCU NEC, Liverpool Community College
'I am shocked at the level of disregard for the union by the Vice Chancellor. There is no question that the Governors should by very critical of a managment that is systematically discregarding the legitimate interests of ordinary members of staff to organise within a trade union. '
Sue Birch, UCU NEC, Leeds Metropolitan University
'We have to fight such reactionary and totally unacceptable behaviour by London Met's management.'