London South Bank University industrial dispute

That this House notes with concern the escalating industrial dispute between London South Bank University (LSBU) and University and College Union (UCU) over fire and rehire proposals to terminate the contracts of all academic staff and require them to compete in a redundancy selection process as part of a restructuring of roles; is concerned these proposals will establish a two-tier academic workforce, increase working time without a corresponding pay increase, and see new teaching and scholarship staff employed through a subsidiary company outside the national pay framework and without access to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme; believes these proposals could have disproportionate equality impacts, particularly for women working in nursing and midwifery; regrets LSBU has declined to participate in ACAS talks to resolve this dispute, as suggested by UCU; recognises the essential contribution of LSBU staff to higher education and to the education of much of London’s nursing workforce; expresses solidarity with UCU members who have already taken strike action in defence of their jobs, pay and working conditions; calls on LSBU to suspend these proposals, undertake a full equality impact assessment and engage in meaningful negotiations with recognised trade unions to achieve a negotiated settlement that protects staff, students and the university’s long-term future; and further calls on the Government to work with the sector and unions to halt the growing use of redundancy threats and subsidiary companies across the higher education sector undermining national pay, pensions and employment standards, and to ensure a sustainable funding settlement for higher education.