Start of term at King’s College London to be hit with five days of strikes
The university joins a UK wide staff strike from Monday 25th to Friday 29th September
Aaron EdwardsThe University College Union announced on Wednesday that 140 UK universities would be striking for five days at the end of this month.
136 of those universities would be striking from Monday 25th to Friday 29th September, King’s College London among them, corresponding to the first week of term for King’s students.
The marking and assessment boycott that has been going since Thursday 20th April has been officially ended by UCU after union members voted to end it.
The UCU remains in a dispute with universities centred on low pay and working conditions. The union is demanding action on gig-economy employment practices and high workloads which force staff onto insecure contracts and regular unpaid shifts.
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said: “We are left with no option but to strike during the start of term because our members refuse to stand by while pay is eroded and staff are shunted onto gig-economy contracts.
“It is shameful that vice-chancellors still refuse to settle the dispute despite a year of unprecedented disruption, and have instead imposed a pay award that staff overwhelmingly rejected.
“Universities are richer than ever, generating tens of billions of pounds in income and hoarding billions more in cash deposits. But they won’t give staff their fair share, a pay award of five per cent is a huge real-terms pay cut and is substantially lower than school teachers received.”
She went on to say: “We have sought to settle this dispute at every opportunity, including agreeing to a joint review of sector finances, but we are faced with employers that want to see staff and students suffer.
“We desperately hope vice-chancellors realise we are going nowhere without a fair settlement and make us a realistic offer. If they do not, campuses will be marred by picket lines during Freshers’ Week, and we will launch a new strike ballot allowing us to take action well into 2024.”
Related articles recommended by this writer:
A definitive ranking of London’s Underground lines, by a self-proclaimed tube nerd
Evie CalverAre you even a Londoner if you don’t defend your favourite line with a passion?
Here are some of the best places in London to enjoy nature this autumn
Millie BrownhillBecause sometimes we all need a break from slaying in the city
World Mental Health Day: The best ways to take care of yourself at King’s
Lily PowellIt’s okay to ask for help, no matter what you’re going through
Here are some of the strangest Freshers’ Flu remedies that you need to try
Maeve RelihanWhether you’re ready or not, Freshers’ Flu is coming… it always does
Here are all the types of people you’ll meet at King’s during your first semester
Are you really a fresher at King’s if you haven’t encountered these people at least once?
Breaking: The strikes scheduled for the start of term at King’s have been called off
KCL is the first university to call off the strikes scheduled for 25th to 29th September
Looking for a new society? Here are five reasons why you should write for The King’s Tab
Come to our open meeting at 6pm on 22nd September at the Penderel’s Oak
King’s College London ranks 27th in the Times and Sunday Times’ Good University Guide
KCL drops from 26th despite remaining a world-leading research university
Start of term at King’s College London to be hit with five days of strikes
The university joins a UK wide staff strike from Monday 25th to Friday 29th September
Here are 10 things you need to know before you become a King’s fresher
You won’t find this brutal honesty on the King’s website
KCL accused of creating ‘segregation’ for hosting non-white tai chi classes for staff
24 per cent of staff at King’s are of BAME backgrounds, the UK university national average is 17 per cent
Move over green and red flags, these are the biggest beige flags of each KCL campus
Diya IyerLet’s jump on the neutral bandwagon
Here are some small changes you can make as a King’s student for a more sustainable summer
Hannah Constableit’s time to make some steps towards changing the planet for the better
This is what halls each 2023 Love Islander would be in if they were a King’s student
Mia LloydExpect to be pulled for a chat in the Angel Lane courtyard
From Glasto to Reading: The types of King’s students you’ll see at each festival this year
Ariana ConleyKing’s students are flooding the festivals this year, lets hope there’ll be no flash floods too
King’s College London students could graduate without their dissertations being marked
No information was provided to students about how this will impact their final grade or their ability to pass the year
King’s College London remains in the top 25 UK universities in new league table
It’s not even the best uni in London
King’s claims students will not be ‘disadvantaged’ by boycott despite two week delay for marks
India HornerThe uni is yet to send any communication to students of how it is mitigating the effects of the marking boycott
King’s students: you are more than academic validation, don’t let it damage your happiness
Time to take a break from being an academic weapon
Mental Health Awareness Week: How to take care of yourself as a student in London
Your mental health is just as important to take care of as your physical
anotherstephen
Co-star romances and age-gap relationships: All of Paul Hollywood’s biggest controversies
Lydia Spencer-ElliottHe’s back handing out handshakes on another series of The Great British Bake Off
Boo! These are officially the most haunted UK unis in 2023, based on ghost sightings
Emily SmithThere have been 59 ghost sightings at one UK uni
MAFS gossip column: Jordan responds to fight scandal and cast knew each other before the show?!
Hayley SoenThe drama really never ends!
Tour buses and family dramas: A brief history of One Direction’s run-ins with the law
Liam Payne has just had his driver’s license suspended
‘You’re scared to step outside’: Two women share their stories of being stalked at uni
This doesn’t only happen to celebrities like Holly Willoughby
Another one! People spot a further editing error in MAFS questioning a staged dinner
Nothing is sacred anymore
Um, the video of Georges squatting has been revealed and you absolutely have to watch it
Ellie RingGive this man all the baguettes
Attention pickpocket! The uni cities where you’re most likely to have your phone stolen
I’m switching back to a Nokia brick after this
Meet Lauren Sintes: The 27-year-old model joining the cast of Made in Chelsea
Of course she’s well connected with most of the cast
Rugby boys and the cleaning rota: Just 19 uni things that are none of my business
The hygiene rating of my fave kebab shop has nothing to do with me!
From secret hookups to cheating: All the biggest bombshells from the Love Is Blind reunion
I’m in shock at all of these
Why do posh people sleep with all their mates? A very serious investigation
The Made in Chelsea mayhem has gone on long enough
‘You’ve made a c*** of yourself’: Shona shares off-screen chat that saw Brad axed from MAFS
‘Bradley said he was behaving like a caged animal’
MAFS UK star Chanita Stephenson calls out the current cast for being a ‘bit too wild!’
She thinks they’re on the show ‘for fun’ and are not ‘focusing on their marriages’
‘Go f**k yourself’: Luke calls out ‘snake’ in MAFS cast who ‘sold’ story of him having a fight
It was revealed today Luke has been removed from the show following a physical fight