Zero hours contracts spark protest at London Metropolitan University

The use of “zero hours” contracts is set to spark a demonstration outside a university building.

Lecturers at the London Metropolitan University, in Holloway Road, plan to stage a protest on Tuesday at 1pm.

More than 850 staff at the are on contracts, which mean they are not guaranteed any work whatsoever from the Holloway college.

Rob Murthwaite, a senior lecturer at London Met, said: “These are people with Phds, some of whom have been at the university for ten or 12 years.

“Our position and the position of the unions is that these are the same exploitative contracts Ed Miliband is known to condemn.

“When he says they need to be stopped, he could easily be taking about London Met.”

A spokesman for the university said: “The use of these contracts is common throughout higher education, with many academics valuing the flexibility they provide. We have lecturers, for example, who teach a few hours a week or have additional posts at other institutions, and so these contracts are well suited to their needs.

Our contracts do not include exclusivity clauses, and we always provide staff with as much notice as possible about teaching commitments.

“London Met is also committed to the London Living Wage.”