The MU stands in solidarity with members working at Goldsmiths and remains committed to supporting university music departments across the UK. Photo: Alamy.
Staff at Goldsmiths, University of London, including colleagues in the Music Department, are currently engaged in industrial action to oppose a further round of proposed cuts and redundancies.
Goldsmiths University and Colleage Union (UCU) members have been taking sustained strike action in response to plans that could see more than 100 academic staff targeted for redundancy, with concerns that music provision could be further affected.
The dispute comes at a time when higher education music courses across the UK are facing significant challenges. In recent years, music departments and courses have come under threat at several universities, including Kent, Cardiff and Nottingham, highlighting the wider pressures facing arts and humanities subjects in higher education.
The MU has repeatedly called for greater investment in music education and support for university music provision.
How to support staff at Goldsmiths
The MU stands in solidarity with members working at Goldsmiths and remains committed to supporting university music departments across the UK.
Earlier this year, the MU and Music Mark launched the Championing University Music Toolkit, a practical resource designed to help music departments demonstrate their value and make the case for continued investment in university music. The toolkit was developed in response to growing concerns about course closures and cuts across the sector.
In response to the proposed cuts, UCU members at Goldsmiths have been on strike for 15 full weeks and have been subjected to significant pay deductions by their employer as a result. They are seeking support for the Goldsmiths UCU Hardship Fund, which is helping staff affected by prolonged pay deductions during the dispute.
Donations will help sustain staff taking action to defend jobs and protect the future of education at the university.
If you would like to support staff at Goldsmiths, please consider making a donation to the Goldsmiths UCU Hardship Fund and sharing information about the campaign with colleagues and fellow musicians.