Reforms threaten jobs

Plans to modernise university statutes and ordinances present a fundamental threat to academics' job security, the AUT has warned.

Revised statutes governing employment rights in old universities will remove a number of rights and safeguards. The statutes, agreed by Universities UK and put to the Privy Council for approval, include plans to extend the reasons employers can give for dismissing staff and will remove the right of staff to appeal to an independent external party.

Delegates carried an amendment calling for a political campaign to persuade the government to intervene and prevent erosion of job security.