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Breaking News: London Metropolitan University Occupied against restructuring!!‏

An Anarchist of London | 11.05.2009 19:11 | Workers' Movements

Time now: 19.53, Monday. Urgent call out to East London Comrades - police expected by 9pm tonight!

Just recieved this:

WE HAVE OCCUPIED PART OF THE COMMERCIAL ROAD BUILDING.

I have recently received a phone call from the schoolkeepers informing me that the management will be calling the police to end the occupation at 9pm sharp tonight.I have informed the media of this and expect that there will be coverage.

Also sent our head of department, Brian Falconbridge, an email telling him that the actions of the management will be monitored by the media and that we have a meeting with George Galloway on Thursday at the Houses of Parliament regarding his incompetence.

Don't let them push you around! If you support your fellow students and don't want to be fucked over by the management, go to Commerical Road before 9pm tonight!!

-----------------------

This is part of the campaign against London Metropolitan Universities plans to restructure. Read here for more

London's biggest university- London Metropolitan University- is in the grips of a massive financial crisis threatening the entire future of the university.

1- The Government recently found that London Met had claimed that it had 7,000 more students than it actually did.

2- Every university receives an amount of money as funding PER STUDENT, so London Met had received millions of pounds too much.

3- Not only has London met been ordered to pay back the money (which it doesn't have), but the budget has also been cut by £15 million a year.

4- To attempt to recover the money, London Met plans to impose devastating cuts- ONE IN FOUR members of staff are being made redundant, ALL BUT TWO libraries are to be closed (one City, one North), the Nursery will be closed, and many modules and courses are being closed.

5- In short, those who are not responsible for the financial problems are being punished for them- the staff and students.

6- The university is being run as a business, yet if it is a business then we the students are the customers, so why have the management not informed us and ACTIVELY LIED to us about the crisis and the cuts?

7- By losing OVER HALF OF OUR STAFF on some courses, we will not be able to continue receiving the standard of education we have been. The University cannot survive these cuts.

8- There is good news- YOU can help save the university. Everyone can. Any student or member of staff willing to get up and do something about this can stand up and fight.

9- It is a lot easier to help than you think [see below]. Let those who have already done so much for the campaign and have already started turning things around be your example.

10- We have received enormous media coverage and over 50 MPs have expressed deep concern at our situation.

An Anarchist of London

Comments

Hide the following 19 comments

Solidarity

11.05.2009 19:38

Keep fighting and refuse to end the occupation - if the police choose to act in defence of the University that has wronged you then it will only further highlight your cause. Solidarity from the University of Westminster.

University of Westminster Student.


assume this is where it is

11.05.2009 20:18

students for an open university


what's the situation

11.05.2009 20:38

anyone know???

students for an open university


Not sure whats happening

11.05.2009 20:54

I contacted some local anarchists from Whitechapel Anarchists and Ramparts Social Centre who went down but only saw the banner up one of the floors and not much else. No cops and no idea how many were inside.

London Met workers and students are preparing for a big fight. Need to spread this and make connections with Visteon Occupations, Glasgow/Lewisham and Greenwich school occupations.

An Anarchist of London


Well Done

11.05.2009 21:18

solidarity from Cambridge Anarchists and the ex-occupiers of the law faculty

I won't say "is there any more info" cos it's been said. But the blog:
 http://savelondonmetuni.blogspot.com/2009/05/students-occupy-commercial-road.html#comments says they were expecting the pigs at 9

Cambridge Occupation in Exile


Solidarity, and clarification on point 1.

11.05.2009 22:22

Solidarity with London met students, we can fight and win as the viston workers and events in doncaster, where the uni sacked finace director and cancelled planned cuts shows that uni's fear mass action, have shown us.
Don't be to intimidated about the police, leeds uni occupation was threated with police raids, via rumours spread through its exec, on a regualar basis and our gaza occupation was very weak and therefore easy to break, but obviously make preperations.
Finally clarification on "The Government recently found that London Met had claimed that it had 7,000 more students than it actually did." this is due to the high drop out rate, caused by the fact that the met caters for a largley working class and/or mature student demographic, who have to take on more (poorly) paid work ect. and face much more issues outside of there accademic lives than your average sloney/rahh type which dominate the redbricks.
this is why we need no fees and a living grant- education for all.
education as a virtue in itself and not a commodity to be brought and sold
we need education for the needs of society and the intrests of the individual, not the demands of the capitial.

leeds uni student


Keep it up

11.05.2009 22:57

Solidarity from Sussex. Don't let the cops scare you out of occupation. Take a stand.

Sussex University Student


big sols to LMU students and staff

12.05.2009 08:16

well done on occupying and standing up to management! if you need any support some of our guys may be able to make it down. keep up the good work!

QM Autonomous Group member
mail e-mail: QMLibSoc(AT)gmail.com
- Homepage: http://qmautonomy.wordpress.com


Occupation over

12.05.2009 08:49

After an agreement was reached for talks the occupation is now over, thanks to everyone for their support.

Occupier


Commercial Road?

12.05.2009 09:09


Commercial Road? How apt!

It's precisley because of the marketisation of HE, forced upon us by a neo-liberalistic government
and Vice Chancellors, that this crisis is upon us. Proceed no further along Commercial Road for it is a toll road with turnpikes owned by ruthless profiteers and littered with the corpses of egalitarianism,
equal access and the less privileged.

HE is not, and should not, be a business.

Andy Grant, Bristol


Solidarity from Brighton AFED

12.05.2009 09:35

Solidarity from Brighton Anarchist Federation ! If you need a hand with anything drop us an email.....

Brighton Anarchist Federation
mail e-mail: brighton@afed.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.AFED.org.uk


solidarity from soas

12.05.2009 11:13

Hey this is great news, keep it up...!

soas unison member

riku


Solidarity from ENS

12.05.2009 11:33

Solidarity from the Education Not for Sale network
 http://www.free-education.org.uk/?p=607

Drop us an email at  education.not.for.sale@gmail.com

ENS
mail e-mail: education.not.for.sale@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.free-education.org.uk


STILL OCCUPIED

12.05.2009 11:45

furniture designers 1hr creation at the picket line
furniture designers 1hr creation at the picket line

Falconbridge banner in cafe
Falconbridge banner in cafe

who ever commented claiming to be an occupier, saying agreements were made is lying! The occupants are still here I'm still here and we will be here till something DOES happen about management, staff and the future of our education and university!

- Da Kine

London Met Uni Student
mail e-mail: n/a
- Homepage: http://n/a


Contact details

12.05.2009 12:26

What's the email address for messages of solidarity?
Is it possible to a phone number for interviews?

Supporter


RE: Contact details

12.05.2009 18:45

for interview purposes please phone Amy on 07763417887

Da_Kine


quick question

13.05.2009 18:38

firstly nice one, your campains also boasting confindece around all uni's as UCU take ballots on possiple national strike action.

whilst i can understand occpuying the canteen, loads of food/facillites, room for mass meetings. Does it serve any commercail purpose for the univercity, does anywhere in the uni? From the gaza occupations it seemed taking places used for corperate smoshing was what really gets the uni managment, or if not Is there any big events at such a location that you can blockade ect. get them when there showing off to investors or bussiness people, there the ones whove fucked our education.
keep it up,solidarity

a leeds student.