Pay Inequality & Increasing Workloads: Why Fashion Educators Are On Strike
By Anna Fitzpatrick
Fashion educators across the UK are on strike; taking action in response to wage inequality, increasing workloads and stress, casualisation of employment and real term pay decreases since 2009. 74 institutions in the UK are into their third week of action after members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted for 14 days of planned strike action at the end of last year. This includes fashion educators at the University of the Arts London (UAL), Royal College of Art (RCA), and Goldsmiths.
Worsening working conditions in the sector are at the heart of the dispute. Since 2009, pay has been effectively cut by nearly 20% in real terms, while unrealistic workloads mean staff are being asked to work harder and longer. The strike is also in response to increasing casualisation of staff – more staff on precarious contracts – which contributes to the pay inequality and increasing levels of stress.
The university sector highlights that women and black and minority ethnic staff experience significant pay inequality – UCU’s analysis of the 2017/18 Higher Education Statistics Agency staff record shows that, overall, BME staff suffer a pay gap of 9% compared to white academic staff. Staff from a black background suffer the greatest pay gap (14%), compared to their white colleagues. This has worrying consequences for the fashion industry – already dealing with issues of representation and cultural appropriation. Fashion education is a place to explore and understand how these inequalities impact the industry and is a place for the next generation to (potentially) seek out role models.
In addition to this perpetuation of inequality, for the fashion industry there are other overlapping issues here. The strike raises questions of sustainability be that of working practices, or in terms of volume (either workloads, hours worked or numbers of clothing), all ultimately linked to exploitation.
In light of the Climate Emergency and Brexit we need strong foundations and these foundations start with education. In an educational climate that sees the arts underfunded, it is vital to draw attention to where solidarities can be built and support given. Across the industry, it is clear that things must change, a race to the bottom in any area is not the way to safeguard or create a vibrant and diverse industry or weather the changes that are to come.
For more information about the strikes follow:
Or visit the UCU website
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