no1
Over 100 students have occupied a conference centre at the University of Sussex in Brighton against proposed course cuts and job losses. The action comes after weeks of concerted campaigning during which the university management have failed to take away the threat of compulsory redundancies and course cuts.
The students described their action as "a display of support and solidarity for the UCU’s upcoming strike ballot. Furthermore, we stand in solidarity with all other workers at Sussex taking action against the cuts."
When the flash occupation ended after 29 hours, the campaign announced an escalation: "This action is only the beginning and it is part of the wider campaign against management’s cuts at Sussex. We intend to continue to bring the fight to management."
In a statement, University management condemned the action as an "unnecessary and disruptive" trespass. With reference to consultation with the three campus trade unions, discussions with the Students’ Union student reps, management complained about the absence of direct demands, or attempts by occupying student to hold discussions or negotiations. In addition Registrar John Duffy claimed the occupation had left damage and additional costs, which were not further specified.
The management press release caused outrage among participants of the occupation : "I hoovered that carpet for an hour!" "Trespass? The university belongs to US!" " Spin Spin Spin… at least we know the PR company aren’t getting paid for nothing!"
In statements written during the occupation, the students describe themselves as a part of the global resistance to increasing attacks of the living standards of ordinary people:
"They’re occupying everywhere in waves across California, New York, Greece, Croatia, Germany and Austria and elsewhere – and not only in the universities. We send greetings of solidarity and cheerful grins to all those occupation movements and everyone else fighting the pay cuts, cuts in services and jobs which will multiply everywhere as bosses and states try and pull out of the crisis. Profitability means nothing against the livelihoods destroyed, lost homes, austerity measures, green or otherwise"
"We acknowledge that Sussex is not the only university being affected by cuts to public spending and that this is not only a national phenomenon but is affecting public spending and education internationally. We would like to express our solidarity with everyone fighting cuts all over the world."