This motion was passed at a Joint union meeting Thursday, 29 October 2026

We recognise the enormous importance of the work of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) for the City of Liverpool, the wider NW region, nationally and globally.

“For more than 125 years, we’ve worked to improve health outcomes in disadvantaged communities worldwide. Today, our pioneering research, education and partnerships strengthen health systems locally and globally.”

(from the LSTM website)

We particularly recognise the importance of the contribution of LSTM to pandemic resilience, as a founder organisation of the Liverpool Pandemic Institute, continuing to make a significant scientific contribution to its work.

We are gravely concerned now about the serious funding crisis that is happening at the School.

We note:

• the proposed cuts of £8m recurring annually over three years;
• the loss of £5m annual funding from UKRI;
• concerns regarding the management of finances at LSTM that may have contributed to the crisis.

We also note:

• the large number of jobs now being put at risk by the senior management at LSTM and
• the launching of a statutory ‘s188’ consultation with elected staff representatives to discuss redundancies;
• that LSTM currently does not recognise trade unions.

We demand that LSTM rules out compulsory redundancies.

We call for:

• public accountability regarding the funding crisis at LSTM;
• an emergency intervention by the relevant government agencies to make up the funding shortfall;
• a halt on the redundancy process to allow time for recognition negotiations to be completed and recognition established.

We commit to full support for the ‘No Cuts at LSTM! Full Transparency Now!’ protest being held at 1pm., Tuesday, 10 November.

Finally, we call upon our respective regional offices now to provide maximum support to trade union members at LSTM for the next steps in this campaign, with full resource for political lobbying, media work, calling for public accountability and seeking the views of all LSTM members on industrial action.