Support from Cambridge City Council and University Students?

Next Thursday (26th Feb), Cambridge City Council will be debating the following motion concerning the job cuts at the Cambridge University Press. The meeting is open to the public and starts at 6pm at the Guildhall, Cambridge. If you live in Cambridge, I would encourage you to make contact with your local councillors and pass on any experiences, so that they are well informed about the situation here.

The Council notes with concern the rising count of redundancies being announced by Cambridge-based employers during the current economic recession.

It notes with alarm, in particular, the recent proposals of Cambridge University Press to make 150+ redundancies locally, and the impact that these would have on the fabric of the community and the tradition of an indigenous industry of the City.

Acknowledging the campaign of the employees at CUP (supported by David Howarth MP and Richard Howitt MEP) and the interests of those affected by redundancy proposals elsewhere, the Council calls on employees contemplating redundancies to ensure:

• That their statutory obligations to consult are carried out scrupulously and meaningfully.


• That all alternatives to redundancies are rigorously investigated and, if at all viable, pursued;


• That in their consultations they give weight to the cumulative impact on the local community and economy, in addition to the livelihoods of those who would be directly affected.

The day before (Wednesday 25th), the Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU) will also be debating a motion to:

• Send a message of support to the Amicus-Unite Cambridge University Branch, which represents the affected workers.


• Contact each member of the Press Syndicate expressing CUSU's objection to the job cuts, requesting that they halt the redundancy plans.


• Publicise the online petition of the Campaign to Save Press Jobs through the CUSU Bulletin.

All students have the right to attend and speak at CUSU Council.

If your union hasn't sent messages of support, ask them to contact the printers' Father of Chapel at grantwelham@hotmail.co.uk, or the campaign address, savepressjobs@googlemail.com