Performing arts staff to strike amid safety concerns

Staff at a performing arts school and college have voted in favour of strike action amid health and safety concerns, a union has said.

The National Education Union said students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) sixth form college had been forced to "dance around buckets due to a leaking roof".

It said staff felt "demoralised and insignificant" and they complained of mouldy carpets, poor IT systems and increased workloads.

The LIPA Multi-academy Trust said it had already resolved many of the concerns raised and were "confident" outstanding issues would be resolved quickly.

More than 90 per cent of members had voted yes in an indicative ballot, the National Education Union (NEU) said.

It said staff and students had raised health and security concerns at both LIPA's sixth form college and its associated primary and high school.

Bora Oktas, regional officer of the NEU, said unreliable IT had led to school closures, early student dismissals, and extended deadlines.

"The secondary building is unfit for purpose, lacking basic amenities such as a staffroom, drinking water, and internet access," he said.

"Contractors are allowed entry without proper checks, leading to safeguarding concerns.”

Mr Oktas added that staff workload had also "surged" and there was no caretaker in the sixth form.

"Persistent air conditioner issues make studios unbearably hot and humid, turning dance classes into hot yoga sessions,” he added.

The NEU plans to organise a formal ballot of its members in September, with the strike action scheduled for mid-October.

A LIPA Multi Academy Trust spokeswoman said: “We recently met with NEU’s representatives on 20 June to share information and listen to concerns.

"We advised that we had already resolved many of the existing concerns and are currently working to address the remainder.

"We are confident that any outstanding issues will be promptly resolved.”

She refuted the union's claims over the safety of the secondary school building and said drinking water was available and issues with internet connection had been resolved.

The performing arts sixth form college and schools are on the same campus, but are separate from, the institute which was founded by Sir Paul McCartney in 1995.

LIPA attracts more than 3,000 applications a year for the 250 higher education places it has on offer.

Former students include singer Sandi Thom, rock band The Wombats, actresses Liz White and Rachel Leskovac and dancer Thomas Carsley.

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