Fareham College lecturers ballot on action to defend teaching quality
17 September 2007
UCU members at Fareham College are balloting on possible industrial action in an attempt to prevent the erosion of classroom teaching standards at the college.
The college management has introduced a new job role called Instructor/Assessor. Instructor/Assessors do not need to have a full teaching qualification but can be given sole responsibility for classes. Already, two qualified lecturers have been made redundant at the college as a result of the introduction of the new role and another lecturer has lost her teaching. UCU fears this will lead to further replacements of fully qualified teaching staff.
Since November 2006, the college UCU branch has expressed it opposition to the role of instructor. The union insists that instructors already appointed must be converted to lecturers or curriculum support officers as soon as possible, after appropriate training, and that no new instructors are appointed. The college principal, Mr Carl Groves, and the chair of the governors were informed of this view but have so far rejected it. UNISON, the union which represents support staff at the college, backs the UCU position.
UCU members at a well attended recent meeting voted unanimously to oppose the role of instructors and to call a ballot on possible industrial action. The ballot opened on 12 September and closes on Wednesday 3 October. Members are being asked to support strike action and/or 'action short of a strike'. If members vote for action, disruption could begin at the college as early as Monday 15 October.
UCU regional official, Mary Cooper said: 'The people of Fareham deserve to have qualified professional lecturers teaching them, not unqualified 'instructors'. The college management is betraying the local community and its own experienced, dedicated teaching staff by ditching lecturers for unqualified, cut-price substitutes. The quality of teaching at the college will diminish and the college's excellent reputation will be tarnished if this short-sighted plan proceeds. Members of the University and College Union are doing their utmost to protect teaching standards and it is very regrettable they have been ignored and forced to consider industrial action.
'We would still prefer the college principal and governors to abandon their ill considered plan and prevent disruption. It is perverse that while the government is introducing new measures to improve teaching qualifications and professionalism in colleges - measures welcomed by UCU - Fareham college management is looking backwards.'
Since November 2006, the college UCU branch has expressed it opposition to the role of instructor. The union insists that instructors already appointed must be converted to lecturers or curriculum support officers as soon as possible, after appropriate training, and that no new instructors are appointed. The college principal, Mr Carl Groves, and the chair of the governors were informed of this view but have so far rejected it. UNISON, the union which represents support staff at the college, backs the UCU position.
UCU members at a well attended recent meeting voted unanimously to oppose the role of instructors and to call a ballot on possible industrial action. The ballot opened on 12 September and closes on Wednesday 3 October. Members are being asked to support strike action and/or 'action short of a strike'. If members vote for action, disruption could begin at the college as early as Monday 15 October.
UCU regional official, Mary Cooper said: 'The people of Fareham deserve to have qualified professional lecturers teaching them, not unqualified 'instructors'. The college management is betraying the local community and its own experienced, dedicated teaching staff by ditching lecturers for unqualified, cut-price substitutes. The quality of teaching at the college will diminish and the college's excellent reputation will be tarnished if this short-sighted plan proceeds. Members of the University and College Union are doing their utmost to protect teaching standards and it is very regrettable they have been ignored and forced to consider industrial action.
'We would still prefer the college principal and governors to abandon their ill considered plan and prevent disruption. It is perverse that while the government is introducing new measures to improve teaching qualifications and professionalism in colleges - measures welcomed by UCU - Fareham college management is looking backwards.'
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