SOAS library update
A quick update on latest developments in the dispute over the SOAS library sackings (judging by my hits from Google searches there are quite a few people out there who want to know about this). So briefly:
* The pressure has continued to pile on the administration of the School: the director received a letter last week urging him to rethink from none other than the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone (this is on top of the hundreds of letters and e-mails he must have received from academics, diplomats, librarians and concerned individuals from around the world).
* There are already indications that the administration would like the backtrack on its decision to sack the two librarians but cannot do so because it is worried about the further damage this may cause (ie heads would have to roll).
* On Wednesday next week (26 October) there will be a mass lobby of the extraordinary meeting of the SOAS governing body. This meeting could overturn the decision to sack the two specialist librarians and probably in the process throw the management of SOAS into crisis. As far as I know the lobby will take place at 3pm outside the main SOAS building.
* Next Friday the AUT will start balloting its members at SOAS for strike action to take place during November. The support for the sacked staff appears to be very strong and it seems likely that members will vote for action, probably in the form of a week-long strike.
* Meanwhile, the sacked librarians themselves have not been allowed to work out their notice and are being treated as though they were sacked for a misdemeanor rather than made redundant (office locks changed, computer harddrives removed, library records deleted).
* However, one of the librarians, Fujiko Kobayashi, has signed up as a student to language classes at SOAS so that she can enter the SOAS library every day in protest at her sacking.
If you’re interested, here is the latest communication from the AUT (lecturers’ union) on the dispute, although it’s not very up to date.
