Union condemns London Met job cut plans and calls on supporters to attend rallies

Although London Met made a loss last year, the union said there was still cash and current investments of over £60 million. For this year, they have committed £27 million for capital expenditure, which still leaves a healthy cash balance. Last year alone, 19 senior staff received between £105,000 and £295,000 with the vice-chancellor earning £341,000. 

The university is planning to cut jobs in the schools of Art, Architecture & Design, Business & Law, Built Environment, Computing & Digital Media, Health Sciences, and Social Science & Professions. Formal notice of redundancies for those to be sacked will be given in March 2026.  

Some schools have disproportionately targeted professors, readers, and associate teaching professors, with adverse consequences for research and teaching. 

London Met exists for people from non-traditional academic backgrounds, including women, people of colour and others with protected characteristics. It has a proud history of educating working class students, many from the local community and many who are the first in their family to go to university. But all this is at risk if these ill-considered plans go ahead 

UCU says the cuts will result in fewer teaching staff, less academic support, less feedback and advice for students and fewer courses. 

UCU has planned three rallies next month to protest against the plans and is encouraging staff, students and supporters to attend on: 

• Tuesday, 3 February, 9-10am & 1-2pm, Holloway Road Campus 
• Wednesday, 4 February, 9-10am & 1-2pm, City Campus 
• Monday, 9 February, 1pm, Holloway Road Campus 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Slashing the staff body like this is nothing short of academic vandalism by London Met. Our members are standing up for their jobs, their students and the community they serve. The university has a proud history of educating people that don't always get the chance to access higher education, but this is being put at risk by these proposals. We urge the university to think again and work with us to save jobs'