PROFESSOR George Holmes, vice chancellor of the University of Bolton, must feel a little less happy as he contemplates the resignation of Glynis Breakwell, vice chancellor of Bath University.

After a campaign by staff and students against excessive pay for herself and senior managers, combined with low pay and zero-hour contracts for the rest of the university staff, Breakwell has resigned.

Bolton TUC has campaigned for some time against Prof Holmes for using the same business model.

Prof Holmes receives a massive salary and an 11.5 pay rise and the rest of the university staff get one per cent of a variety of very low pay levels if they are lucky, along with conditions of service more reminiscent of the 19th century than the 21st.

Bolton TUC is disappointed that Bolton’s Labour council has supported Prof Holmes by accepting honorary doctorates for many of its members. We expect a renewal of protest by staff and students now that Bath unions have shown the way.

The takeover of our universities by a business model driven such as this is coming to an end.

We look forward to the University of Bolton being recognised simply as a much valued place of learning once more, where all are treated with respect and rewarded appropriately, whether managers, teachers or students.

A university for the many, not the few!

Tom Hanley

Media Correspondent

Bolton TUC