UAL joins list of London universities voting for strike action
18 May 2010
Members of UCU at the University of Arts London (UAL), have today voted in favour of both strike action and action short of a strike in their fight to save jobs and courses.
Over two-thirds (68%) of UCU members, who voted, voted for strike action and 82% voted for action short of a strike. The news comes just a week after UCU members at 11 London further education colleges and the University of Westminster and King's College took strike action.
The union had spent months seeking meaningful negotiations from UAL over a programme of restructuring and course closures resulting in job cuts across the university. With no movement from management, UCU said its members were left with no option but to ballot for industrial action.
The union said that today's result was indicative of the strength of feeling among UCU members across the country over savage funding cuts and damaging job losses. The nature and timing of industrial action will become much clearer in the next few days as UCU members meet to discuss next steps.
UCU regional official, Greg Barnett, said: 'Hopefully this result will make UAL management realise that they need to take the views of academic staff seriously. We urge them to negotiate with UCU over their plans, in order to avoid compulsory redundancies and to join us in striving to protect the provision of world class arts education at UAL.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'UCU members at UAL have the union's full support. These cuts will have a damaging impact on UAL's reputation, its students and the quality of service they can expect from the institution. Getting rid of staff and well respected courses will come back and haunt the institution.'
The union had spent months seeking meaningful negotiations from UAL over a programme of restructuring and course closures resulting in job cuts across the university. With no movement from management, UCU said its members were left with no option but to ballot for industrial action.
The union said that today's result was indicative of the strength of feeling among UCU members across the country over savage funding cuts and damaging job losses. The nature and timing of industrial action will become much clearer in the next few days as UCU members meet to discuss next steps.
UCU regional official, Greg Barnett, said: 'Hopefully this result will make UAL management realise that they need to take the views of academic staff seriously. We urge them to negotiate with UCU over their plans, in order to avoid compulsory redundancies and to join us in striving to protect the provision of world class arts education at UAL.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'UCU members at UAL have the union's full support. These cuts will have a damaging impact on UAL's reputation, its students and the quality of service they can expect from the institution. Getting rid of staff and well respected courses will come back and haunt the institution.'
- PrintPrint this page
- Share
Comments