All out for a pay rise – solidarity with all FE branches striking and balloting.
UCU members in 14 Further Education colleges are going out on strike for 2 days starting on Tuesday January 29th. This is part of a second wave of action following strikes by the ‘Magnificent 6’ at the end of last year.
Members are fighting for improved local pay and conditions and a 5% or £1500 pay rise.
These strikes come off the back of fantastic ballot results averaging a 50% turnout with massive Yes votes.
Members have been spurred on by the recent CCCG win. A landmark deal which resulted in a 5% pay award, 50 casualised lecturers moved onto permanent contracts – worth on average £6k, as well as a plan to bring all outsourced staff in house.
Several colleges are in talks with local union branches trying to broker deals to head off further strikes. We should push as hard as we can to get the best we can. These union branches need our support and solidarity.
Momentum is building with more further education branches balloting to fight locally for better pay and conditions. They could join the action in March and throughout the summer term.
FE funding has been savaged by austeri with a loss of around 2 million adult education places, and 25,000 teachers. Support staff are cut to the bone, additional support has been cut and workloads going through the roof. In real terms pay has been cut by 25%.
The need for a pay rise has moved up the agenda.
College Principals closed colleges last October to lobby Parliament following strikes in 13 colleges demanding more pay for staff. The lobby was supported by Jeremy Corbyn and opposition leaders, and attracted a great deal of well deserved press.
A petition launched by college students reached over 70,000 signatures. This prompted a Parliamentary debate last week. You can watch it here.
We have finally begun to see widespread recognition of the academic vandalism suffered by this sector.
Unfortunately despite all of this support, college leaders only offered a 1% pay rise at ‘national talks’. Even though many could afford to pay more. They are quick to say that their hands are tied because of government funding cuts and that they will keep lobbying for more funds.
College leaders repeatedly say there is nothing they can do because there is no money. The truth is many can afford a pay rise but are simply choosing not to on the old fashioned notion that you need to keep staff wages down in order to be successful and competitive.
This is the logic of the market at work and the dogma of 25 years of incorporation. A process that turned a democratically controlled public service for the community into academy style private businesses. It is now the norm for college leaders working in the poorest areas in the country to earn more than the Prime Minister. Then tell our members there is no money!
The CCCG deal is important. It was won through 8 days of well supported strike action which crucially, included the exam period. This highly significant win has greatly lifted staff morale. More importantly it is based on a new mode, one that makes more sense with inward investment in staff as crucial to sustain FE’s. This could lead that college into a faster recovery, positioning them for future investment post-Brexit, and hopefully, when a Labour government is elected to deliver on the National Education Service.
What CCCG shows is that if the political will exists, then there is a financial model that supports staff. This is something every college can achieve. There is more than a £1bn sitting in college reserves and millions of tax payer and student fee money is leaving the sector as profit to consultants and private providers.
The FE strikes will only grow. ‘The money is there, we want our share!’
#FEfightsback and #FEpay
In the news…
London Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Points West
Solidarity and how we can build this growing movement:
Every university branch should invite an FE speaker to help GTVO
Could your university or college branch twin with a striking college to offer support?
Hold a solidarity rally – This Tuesday at UCL UCU London region will host strikers from colleges alongside UNISON traffic wardens on strike in Camden.
Please send solidarity messages and collections to the following branches:
Jeanie Donald-McKim
*Abingdon and Witney College
Stephanie Williams
stephanie.williams@bathcollege.ac.uk
Bath College
Geraint Evans
g.evans@bradfordcollege.ac.uk
Bradford College
Catherine Patay
Bridgwater and Taunton College
Adam Dwight
City of Wolverhampton College
Margot Hill
hillm@croydon.ac.uk
Croydon College
Abbie Jenkinson
abbie.jenkinson@sussexdowns.ac.uk
Justin Wynne
East Sussex College
Lydia Richards
Harlow College
Judith Eland
Judith.eland@kendal.ac.uk
Kendal College
Mandy Brown
mandybrowncow@hotmail.com
Lambeth College
David Kill
dahill@leicestercollege.ac.uk
Leicester College
Stewart Fraser
stewart.fraser@newcollege.ac.uk
New College Swindon
Cecily Blyther
Petroc
patrick.mccann@west-thames.ac.uk
West Thames College
UCU says: In order to maximise the impact of their action, Leicester College UCU members will be taking action on Tuesday 29 and Thursday 31 January. UCU members at Kendal College will be taking action on Wednesday 30 January and Tuesday 12 February.
Jo McNeill for UCU General Secretary 