PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO SIGN THIS PETITION AND REMAIN ANONYMOUS. If you are a creative who is concerned that signing this petition will impact their career - don’t fear! You can tick the box that says ‘Do not display my name and comment on this petition’. Your signature will still be registered but your name and data will not be seen.

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We have been made aware that the LAMDA board are meeting on Thursday to discuss the redundancy plans. For that reason, we would appreciate all who want to save LAMDA staff to sign by 10pm on Wednesday 22/07/20. This will allow us to email the petition to the board.

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This petition has been created in order to protect the staff at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) from the devastating redundancies proposed by Sarah Frankcom.

 

Since it’s creation in 1861 LAMDA has provided world-leading actor training and is universally regarded as one of the greatest drama schools in the world. The teachers at LAMDA have made LAMDA the school it is today. Acting coaches who have trained and moulded some of the greatest artists of the last century. Some of these teachers have worked at LAMDA for over 40 years. To make 80% of them redundant in the middle of a pandemic with no warning or reasonable explanation is downright cruel.

 

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Below are the words of Robert Price. A voice teacher at LAMDA (2009-2020) -

 

It would be hard to exaggerate the level of devastation planned by Lamda management in the coming months. A world class institution built on exceptional teaching of extraordinary students is about to be dismantled by someone who had only been in the building for a couple of months before COVID struck. It took me about 10 years before I began to really understand actor training by the way.

 

So of the 59 staff who teach actors to act at Lamda the proposed redundancy is 42 - in my old voice department it goes from 8 to 2. In the acting department from 14 to 2. The movement department from 14 to two. Oh and to get one of these new jobs existing staff will have to compete with each other : formally apply and go through an interview process. Those two teachers will teach across the entire school on contracts which will mean they work for many more hours on a much lower rate than previously. We will be told it is an essential measure because of income loss. We will be told it is a positive change politically. We will be told it is the result of a review (which we are not allowed to read) we will be told about industry consultation.

 

I don’t believe it. I think it’s about power. I think it’s an act of vandalism and manipulation and on the other side of it London will have lost two exceptional drama schools : Lamda and The Drama Centre within a couple of years of each other. If you can think of any way to engage with this : do. I’m not just moaning - I’m a huge admirer of activism. When Rada removed the Alexander Technique there was a sustained student campaign on the basis of its importance to training which led to its substantial reinstatement. This is much worse. There will be very little training left and the process will move very quickly. Many people’s professional lives will have been callously trashed and the meaningful future of a successful and happy institution carelessly fumbled. It’s really very very sad.

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Below is an extract from LAMDA's report into restructuring. This is proof of the devastating redundancies they are planning. Please note that the 'new roles' that are supposedly going to give those made redundant a job have to be applied for. There is no guarantee that former staff will be re-employed in a new role- 

Employees that the measures will affect: 7. Redundancies

a. At Annex B is a draft organisation chart showing the proposed new structure of LAMDA in summary and (in attached appendices) by SMT line of responsibility. We believe this new structure is the best means available of securing LAMDA’s continued operation and success. In line with this proposed new structure it is proposed that the following positions will be made redundant and there will be redundancies in the following numbers. As is made clear below, it is anticipated that a proportion of employees in roles proposed to be made redundant will occupy new roles in the proposed new structure (this will include full time and part time Associate Teachers). In addition LAMDA will seek to appoint self-employed Associate Artists to deliver both internal and public-facing productions and projects (annually c.40 productions and projects in total) and self-employed Specialist Practitioners (to provide specialist instruction not available within LAMDA’s community of employed teachers). Standardised fixed term contracts and rates will control costs and ensure that only genuine freelancers with current experience elsewhere in the industry are engaged, thereby maintaining a high level of current industry experience in LAMDA’s projects, productions and specialist teaching.

i. 1 of the Senior Management Team. It is proposed that 2 Senior Management Team roles will be made redundant but we anticipate that a proposed new role (Director of Partnerships and External Relations) could be filled by one of these colleagues.

ii. 2 of the Drama School Heads of Department/Senior Tutor group. There are 9 employees performing this role. We anticipate that one such employee will fill the proposed new Head of Screen, Audio and Virtual Reality role and that a further six colleagues from this group could fill the proposed new positions of Course Leader and Lead Practitioner.

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iii. 12 Acting Teachers. There are currently 14 employees performing this role and we anticipate that 2 of these could fill 2 proposed new Associate Acting & Ensemble Teacher posts.

iv. 12 Movement Teachers. There are currently 14 employees performing this role and we anticipate that that 2 of these could fill 2 proposed new Associate Movement Teacher roles.

v. 4 Screen and Audio Teachers. There are currently 7 employees performing this role. We anticipate that 3 of these could fill proposed new Associate Screen Audio and Virtual Reality Teacher roles.

vi. 6 Voice Teachers. There are currently 8 employees performing this role. We anticipate that 2 of these could fill proposed new Associate Voice Teacher roles.

vii. 6 Music & Singing Teachers. There are currently 8 employees performing this role and we anticipate that 2 of these will fill the proposed new Associate Music Teacher roles.

viii. 1 Technician in Technical Training. There is currently 1 employee performing this role.

ix. 2 Wardrobe Supervisor staff. There are currently 2 employees performing this role.

x. 1 Operations Supervisor in Examinations. There are currently 2 employees performing this role and we anticipate that 1 of them will fill an additional proposed new Team Leader role within Exams.

xi. 2 Box Office, Reception and Facilities staff. There are currently 6 employees performing these roles. We anticipate that 4 of these could fill 3 proposed new Facilities Assistant and 1 could fill a proposed new Customer Services Officer roles.

xii. 1 Deputy Director of Development and Alumni Relations. There is currently 1 employee performing this role. There may be an alternative position for the post holder as Social and Charitable Mission Manager.

xiii. 1 Trusts and Foundation Manager. There is currently 1 employee performing this role. There may be an alternative position for the post holder as Social and Charitable Mission Officer.

xiv. 1 Development Assistant role. There is currently 1 employee performing this role.

xv. 1 Marketing Managers. There are 2 employees performing this role. We anticipate that 1 of these could fill a proposed new post of Digital Marketing and Recruitment Manager.

8. Changes in Terms of Employment

a. In addition to the changed job titles illustrated in the attached organisation chart (Annex B), affected employees will be asked to agree changes in their terms of employment to reflect changes highlighted at Annex A (individual salaries will be offered within a range that takes into account the staff who may be matched to the particular role). As part of changes to terms of employment new job descriptions will be proposed reflecting changes to function,

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responsibilities and line management (up and down) for each post to enable the complete structure to function and achieve the required levels of performance.

b. It is proposed that employees in each of the Employee Groups below will be asked to agree to a change in their terms of employment (these figures excludes those identified at risk of redundancy at paragraph 7a above and who may fill new posts):

i. Management (SMT/Clerk to the Board):

ii. Management (HoDs/STs): 1 employees.

7 employees.

iii. Teaching/Drama:

iv. Technical Training:

v. Examinations:

vi. Administration:

2 employees. 7 employees.

27 employees.

25 employees.

9. New terms of employment will be presented during the collective consultation period. LAMDA will review, consider and where appropriate implement the responses. One of the options for LAMDA if agreement on the proposed changes cannot be reached is to give notice to terminate employees’ current contracts and offer re-engagement on new employment contracts that incorporate the required changes. As well as collective consultation on this proposal LAMDA would also meet with the affected employees individually to consult with them on the proposed contract changes.

Proposed basis for selection

10. It is proposed that roles will be selected for redundancy based on the proposed new structure. Subsequent to provisional selection for redundancy, the employees in those roles will be able to apply for the proposed new roles.

11. It is proposed that selection for the new roles will be via a competitive process based on applicants’ suitability or otherwise for the new posts identified at Paragraph 2.1. We propose that decisions be based on objective selection criteria including: skills and qualifications, performance and ability, attendance records, disciplinary records and our prior knowledge of employee suitability for the newly created roles. In relation to teaching positions, selection will also be based on written application forms and panel interviews. Such teacher role application forms and interviews will cover the points set out at paragraph 12 below.

12. Under the proposed new terms of employment in the proposed new structure teachers will be required to contribute to the development of LAMDA and the way it supports its students in at least two of the following four areas. It is proposed that as part of the selection process for the proposed new teaching roles applicants be asked to demonstrate in their application forms and interviews how they have supported students in this regard