Firefighters in Oxford are recommending a ballot for
industrial action at their conference on 15 June. Any industrial
action is likely to cause disurption to students, particularly in
curtailing library use. Andy Gilchrist, speaking on behalf of the Fire Brigade Union
(FBU), “we are angry and exasperated at councillors always
moving the goal posts”, in a statement on Wednesday. Closing time at the Bodleian was brought forward to 7pm for a
period of time when industrial action was going on last year,
provoking the ire of many students. If such measures were to be
adopted again, it would be especially difficult for exam
candidates. One firstyear History and Politics student at
Brasenose said the Bodleian was crucial to his revision and that
closing the libraries early would “undoubtedly have a
detrimental effect on my revision”. A strike would be particularly worrying for the University,
because of the historical nature of many of the buildings, which
makes them especially prone to fire hazards. The University said
that if a strike did occur it would “work closely with the
relevant authorities and take advice on how best to deal with the
situation.” They also remarked that “exams were
unlikely to be affected”.ARCHIVE: 6th week TT 2004
Firefight closure may soon strike Bod
