UAL strike "contingency plans" in place

by Christopher Hamer and Jamie Jubon

University of the Arts London (UAL) has stressed that “contingency plans” are in place should a cross-college strike get the go-ahead.

Last week, the University and College Union (UCU) secretary Ron Todd, had promised the strike would go ahead and that action could be taken within seven to ten days.

When quizzed as to how the university would react in the event of a strike, a UAL spokesperson said: "The University has contingency plans that will be implemented in the event of strike action or action short of a strike and students will be informed of arrangements well in advance.

"The University is currently concentrating on finding a way of avoiding industrial action."

UCU demands not met

The decision to push for a strike came after UAL management failed to meet various UCU demands regarding the withdrawal of compulsory redundancies and a new redundancy policy, and reversed plans over course closures.

The UCU has been threatening industrial action since the university announced last July that 200 UAL jobs could be at risk.

Since then a total of 49 staff members have been given redundancy notices and nine combined LCC honours degree courses have been discontinued.

UAL has been forced to cut at least £7million from its budget in the last year alone, and these cuts are part of the university's efficiency programme.

UAL has so far failed to comment as to whether the libraries would remain open if there were a strike.

With exams approaching, some students have criticsed the lack of detail released saying it will leave them in limbo as they face up to the possibility of facilities not being available during the strike.