WORKERS at the Royal Academy (RA) have delivered a vote of no confidence in their leadership as the institution presses ahead with a second round of mass redundancies in five years.

In a vote organised by members of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), 78 per cent of staff said they had no confidence in the RA’s president, interim chief executive and treasurer to manage the restructuring.

Just 2.5 per cent expressed confidence.

The overwhelming majority — 97.5 per cent — said that they did not believe there had been appropriate accountability for the RA undergoing a second round of mass job cuts, putting nearly 100 jobs at risk.

Criticism was also levelled at the consultation process, with 89 per cent saying it had not been genuine or meaningful, while 89.1 per cent of respondents rejected the proposed redundancy package as unfair and inequitable.

Worker Hana Nihill said: “I’m so disappointed that so many of my colleagues are facing hugely challenging futures when it’s their work that makes the RA a place worth visiting.

“Rather than calling for redundancies, the RA’s leadership should be valuing staff and working collaboratively with us to protect jobs to create a truly sustainable organisation.”

An IWGB spokesperson said management were “lining their pockets by refusing to engage meaningfully with the possibility of pay cuts for themselves.

“Arts institutions like the RA will be unable to do the vital work they do with fewer staff, leading to a reduction in access to art for the public.

“We call on the RA management to immediately halt all mandatory redundancies.

“They only lead in one direction — a depleted institution, a poorer quality of output and diminished access to art for those who need it the most.”

Natasha Mitchell, Interim Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts said: “Together with many in the arts sector, we are facing a serious financial challenge. We have a robust plan to improve the RA’s financial position and the proposal to reduce our workforce has been put forward after careful consideration. We understand the profound impact these proposed changes will have and we are committed to supporting affected employees through this transition. This is a challenging time for all involved, however it is our belief that these steps are critical for ensuring a sustainable future for the RA.”