Shock as Manchester Metropolitan University bans UCU meeting

UCU said the ban was an 'unprecedented and worrying move that flew in the face of academic freedom'. The meeting was due to take place tomorrow in the Business School on the Manchester campus. UCU has vowed the meeting will still happen, "outside under umbrellas" if necessary.

The union organised the meeting to discuss the latest steps in the dispute that centres on the future of over 160 academic staff based at the Crewe campus. UCU members at both the Crewe and Manchester sites are currently voting in a ballot over whether to support strike action. That ballot closes on Monday 8 May.

UCU says that the university's representatives have appeared to be willing to work towards compromises in meetings but then managers renege on promises just hours later. The union says the final straw came last month when the university rejected a proposal to postpone redundancies scheduled for this summer to allow both sides time to consider redeployment options and severance packages.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt, who will be speaking at the rearranged meeting, said: 'This ban is an unprecedented and worrying move from Manchester Metropolitan University that we feel flies in the face of the proud tradition of academic freedom that universities rightly champion.

'Banning meetings at the last minute in an effort to close down debate will do little to help matters in the current dispute over job losses. This meeting will still take place, outside under umbrellas if necessary.

'We would rather the university met with us to discuss the issues instead of trying to silence its critics. We shall still be meeting and members will still be voting in the strike action ballot. We hope the university adopts a less aggressive approach in the future and remembers its responsibilities when it comes to debate and academic freedom.'

The university has almost £400m in reserves and UCU says it sees no rationale for refusing to pause on this summer's job losses or ruling out compulsory redundancies. The university confirmed on 10 February that the Crewe campus will close in August 2019 after the current courses based there finish.