A FINAL decision on the future of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Crewe campus is expected tomorrow.

The university confirmed it was consulting on plans to withdraw from the Crewe campus at a board of governors’ meeting in November.

Around 400 members of staff are faced with an uncertain future as the university has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies.

University and College Union (UCU) members will will lobby university governors outside the All Saints Building from 8.45am as they arrive for the 9.30am meeting.

UCU’s general secretary Sally Hunt will be among the speakers at the lobby from 9am.

Other speakers include local UCU reps from both the Manchester and Crewe campuses.

Ms Hunt said: ‘We will be speaking to governors as they go in on Friday to make clear our opposition to compulsory redundancies.

“We are happy to continue to work with the university to explore alternatives, but the governors need to be aware that members have backed plans to trigger strike ballots if they do not rule out compulsory redundancies.”

Last month members from both the Manchester and Crewe sites backed a motion that called on members to proceed to an indicative e-ballot and then a ballot for strike action if staff are threatened with compulsory redundancy as a result of the plans for the Crewe campus.

The motion said that, with almost £400 million in reserves, the university should commit to avoiding any compulsory job losses.

The union said it was keen to continue to work with the university to avoid compulsory redundancies.

It said it was happy to explore transferring courses from Crewe to Manchester and to look at redeployment opportunities or a voluntary severance scheme for Crewe-based staff.