Called ‘I’m Not a Number’, the campaign by the Prospect trade union highlights the need for government to protect skilled jobs to keep up with the changing demands of the UK economy, intelligent government and society at large.

Reports from Prospect’s sectors indicate that at least 25,000-30,000 of the UK’s most skilled jobs will be cut from the economy by 2014-15 because of public spending cuts. In central government, where a total of 80,000 jobs will be lost, professional jobs will go principally in defence, science, justice, environment, economic development and regulation. In the private sector the biggest casualties will be among companies in defence, nuclear decommissioning, scientific research, manufacturing and telecoms.

At a meeting in the House of Commons, scientists, engineers, an environmental expert, a defence researcher and an air traffic controller outlined their diverse job functions to MPs and the damage that spending cuts will do to the services they provide.

MPs were invited to sign up to early day motion 1394 supporting the ‘I’m Not a Number’ campaign, which has attracted 38 signatures.

Pictures of the 18 MPs who met professionals are available at www.prospect.org.uk/flickrThey include: Luciana Berger, Clive Betts, Michael Connarty, Mary Creagh, Alex Cunningham, Tony Cunningham, Ian Davidson, Julie Elliott, Frank Field, Jim Fitzpatrick, Kelvin Hopkins, Ann McKechin, Madeleine Moon, Meg Munn, Bob Russell, Alison Seabeck, Nick Smith and Gerry Sutcliffe.

Other MPs who have signed EDM 1394 are: Kevin Barron, Tom Blenkinsop, Paul Blomfield, Ronnie Campbell, Martin Caton, Katy Clark, Jeremy Corbyn, David Crausby, John Cryer, Jim Cunningham, Jim Dobbin, Mark Durkan, Yvonne Fovargue, Cathy Jamieson, Ian Lavery, John Leech, Tony Lloyd, Elfyn Llwyd, Naomi Long, Khalid Mahmood, John McDonnell, Alan Meale, Andrew Miller, Austin Mitchell, Sandra Osborne, Linda Riordan, Jim Sheridan, Dennis Skinner and Hywel Williams.

Among the professional workers present was Sue Benham, an environmental scientist with the Forestry Commission based at Alice Holt Forest, Surrey.

She told MPs: “Among the 300,000-plus staff likely to lose their jobs will be hundreds of Forestry Commission staff. I’m not a bureaucrat, I work with others to ensure that our forests remain healthy and wildlife flourishes. My colleagues here today are forensic scientists, synchrotron scientists and other skilled workers who feel they are being treated like numbers and not people by redundancy programmes.”

Prospect represents over 121,000 professionals and specialists in the private and public sectors. Their members are highly qualified – most are graduates, 24% have a Masters degree and 39% are members of a professional body. They are increasingly concerned that the government’s cuts will reduce professional standards and services.

Paul Noon, Prospect’s General Secretary, said: “We’re grateful to every MP who has shown an interest in our campaign. The cuts will affect the public and private sector alike, as 36p of every pound spent by the government ends up in the private sector.

“The work that our members do is essential to the quality and safety of our lives. They keep our crowded airspace safe; help to convict criminals; provide vital support to our armed forces; maintain our green spaces and monitor climate change; conserve our national heritage; and help to develop high-tech treatments for cancer and other diseases.

“But these same professionals are suffering badly because of cuts to programmes and cancelled contracts. We ask MPs to help us remind the government of this.

“Our members are not just numbers, they do expert and important work. For the sake of the UK economy their skills must not be lost.”

Prospect members meeting MPs include:

Suzanne Armitage, Forensic scientist, Chorley, Forensic Science Service

Sue Benham, Forest researcher, Surrey Forestry Commission

Darren Coe, Research scientist, Malvern QinetiQ

Dave Roberts, Microbiologist, London, Natural History Museum

Paul Upton, Air traffic controller, Swanwick, NATS

Peter Williams, Synchrotron scientist, Daresbury, STFC

Robert Wood, Test engineer, RAF Sealand Defence Support Group

MPs supporting Prospect’s campaign for professional workers:

Luciana Berger, Liverpool Wavertree

Clive Betts, Sheffield South East

Michael Connarty, Linlithgow and East Falkirk

Mary Creagh, Wakefield

Alex Cunningham, Stockton North

Tony Cunningham, Workington

Ian Davidson, Glasgow South West

Julie Elliott, Sunderland Central

Frank Field, Birkenhead

Jim Fitzpatrick, Poplar and Limehouse

Kelvin Hopkins, Luton North

Ann McKechin, Glasgow North

Madeleine Moon, Bridgend

Meg Munn, Sheffield Heeley

Bob Russell, Colchester

Alison Seabeck, Plymouth Moor View

Nick Smith, Blaenau Gwent

Gerry Sutcliffe, Bradford South