Strike date set at King's College for 30 March
23 March 2010
Members of UCU at King's College London have today announced that they will be out on strike next week on Tuesday 30 March in response to the university's refusal to remove the threat of compulsory redundancies.
There are 205 posts at risk of redundancy and more expected to follow. The union says King's has to explain why it sees fit to axe staff and shut distinguished departments when it has cash reserves of £180m and has opened a £20m fund to cover the running costs of the East Wing of Somerset House.
Over two-thirds of staff (70%) who voted in a recent ballot voted for strike action. The union is furious that the university broke off talks four weeks ago when it could have been trying to resolve the dispute. Despite setting the strike date, the union is keen to resolve the dispute without unnecessary disruption.
A dispute at the University of Leeds was resolved last week following talks between the union and the university. UCU hopes similar progress can be made at King's.
The Engineering department is to be closed after 170 years at King's, the Equalities and Diversity department has been scrapped and there are threats to Philosophy, Information Resources, American Studies and the only Chair of Palaeography in the UK.
UCU King's representative, Jim Wolfreys, said: 'There is an urgent need for the principal and his management team to halt the redundancy programme and offer firm guarantees that they will engage in constructive negotiations about the future of King's.
'This crisis has come about because senior management have made redundancies their first, rather than last, resort and wasted four weeks by refusing to speak to us. We will defend our colleagues' livelihoods and the education of our students.'
Over two-thirds of staff (70%) who voted in a recent ballot voted for strike action. The union is furious that the university broke off talks four weeks ago when it could have been trying to resolve the dispute. Despite setting the strike date, the union is keen to resolve the dispute without unnecessary disruption.
A dispute at the University of Leeds was resolved last week following talks between the union and the university. UCU hopes similar progress can be made at King's.
The Engineering department is to be closed after 170 years at King's, the Equalities and Diversity department has been scrapped and there are threats to Philosophy, Information Resources, American Studies and the only Chair of Palaeography in the UK.
UCU King's representative, Jim Wolfreys, said: 'There is an urgent need for the principal and his management team to halt the redundancy programme and offer firm guarantees that they will engage in constructive negotiations about the future of King's.
'This crisis has come about because senior management have made redundancies their first, rather than last, resort and wasted four weeks by refusing to speak to us. We will defend our colleagues' livelihoods and the education of our students.'
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