Employers isolated as staff and students unite to demand job security

One hundred universities have already signalled their intention to make job cuts and UCU is currently in dispute with the employers' organisation (UCEA) over its failure to agree to a national agreement that would ensure any institution looking to axe jobs would have to make the case clearly and transparently.

The joint statement from staff and students calls for a partnership between unions and employers to reach a national agreement on job security. UCU today called on the employers to sit down and start discussing how to react to higher education's jobs crisis.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'With unions representing both staff and students calling for a national agreement on job security the employers are completely isolated in their refusal to back one. We know the damage that will be done if urgent action is not taken to stop cuts across the country. It is now just the employers that seem unable to grasp the severity of the situation. They need to stop making excuses and start making a real effort to respond to staff and students and come to the table to negotiate.'