Plans to axe 300 jobs by under fire Manchester College slammed by UCU

Manchester College is the biggest prison education provider in the country, running courses in over 96 institutions. The news comes just a month after the college singled out its prison education staff for a pay freeze and is the latest in an embarrassing list of stories of shoddy management and poor conditions for staff employed by Manchester College. In July Manchester College teaching staff at the Oakhill Secure Training centre near Milton Keynes walked out over allegations of bullying and harassment.
 
The following month UCU members walked out at the college's main Manchester campus in protest at the sacking of 15 staff members. UCU was furious that the college targeted union activists in a round of redundancies described by the union as punishing and unnecessary.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Even by Manchester College's low standards this is a truly shocking announcement. Prison education is vital in stopping re-offending and these savage cuts will be a hammer blow to offender learning throughout the country. The result of Manchester College's actions will be fewer rehabilitation opportunities for offenders and another 300 staff on the dole queue.'