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London education strikes and demonstration on 5 May

4 May 2010

Colleges and universities in London will be hit with the most widespread disruption for over two years tomorrow. Members of UCU are taking industrial action at 11 further education colleges and two universities* over massive funding cuts.

Classes will be cancelled as staff walk out across the capital. UCU members will be on picket lines from first thing in the morning and then make their way to King's College London on the Strand for a march that will leave at 1pm.
 
From King's the demonstrators will join Victoria Embankment at Temple Place and head towards Parliament. They will then turn into Bridge Street and enter Parliament Square, finishing at Church House for a rally from 2pm.
 
Contact details for UCU representatives at the London universities and colleges are below. There is also strike action taking place at the University of Sussex and a march and rally in Brighton. The strike at King's is the second action there this year and will run for two days to also include Thursday (6 May). All the other institutions will see one day's strike action on Wednesday.
 
Higher education has been hit with funding cuts of nearly £1bn, while further education has been told to make savings of £340m in the next academic year. UCU says that funding cuts had gone from tough words for party leaders ahead of an election to the stark reality of people losing jobs and students missing out on education.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'All the tough talk about cuts has moved on and it is no longer just figures on paper. People are losing their jobs and access to education is disappearing. We believe in the power of education to make a real difference to people's lives and do not think we should be slashing funding at a time when more people than ever need access to education. UCU members are still on the side of education and we will be fighting to save jobs and defend education.'

* The two London universities are King's College and University of Westminster. The 11 colleges are:
Barnet College
City and Islington College
College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London
College of North West London
Greenwich Community College
Hackney Community College
Lambeth College
Lewisham College
Richmond Upon Thames College
Tower Hamlets College
Westminster Kingsway College

UPDATE: Action planned at University College London was postponed.

Last updated: 11 December 2015

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