K College staff to strike over job cuts

K College operates on campuses across fives sites in west and south Kent

Staff at a college in Kent have voted to hold a half-day strike over plans to cut up to 145 jobs.

The University and College Union (UCU) said its members and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) would walk out of K College on 8 October.

Staff from the college's five sites plan to protest at the Tonbridge campus, outside a governors' meeting where the job cuts will be discussed.

A college spokeswoman said it was making arrangements for the strike day.

The college is holding a consultation on the proposed cuts to 110 full-time and a number of part-time posts.

Principal Bill Fearon has said staffing restructuring is necessary to ensure long-term stability of the college.

The staff affected include lecturers, management and support workers.

The college, which was formed after a merger between West Kent and South Kent Colleges, is blaming falling student numbers and the cost of running campuses in Ashford, Dover, Folkestone, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells for the proposed cuts, announced in August.

The unions said the large number of job losses was not justified.

UCU spokesman Adam Lincoln said: "Strike action is never entered into lightly, but the overwhelming mandate from members at K College demonstrates how determined they are to fight these ill-conceived and unjustified proposals."