Strike off as agreement is reached at Wolverhampton College

Members of UCU at Wolverhampton College have today suspended plans for strike action on Monday 21 June. The union has secured an agreement with the college that there will be no compulsory redundancies, following an announcement of job losses earlier this year.
 
The union said today that it was delighted with the agreement  which it puts down to strong collective action by UCU members, the skill and diligence of its negotiators and the responsible approach taken by  the principal to securing  the promise of no compulsory redundancies.
 
Staff and students will, however, hold lunchtime protests as part of a national day of action against government cuts to further, higher and adult education. At 12.00pm staff and students will march from the college's Metro One Bilston Street campus to Wulfrun Hall where they will hold a lunchtime rally at 12.30pm.
 
Staff and students at over 70 colleges and universities throughout the country are staging protests over plans to cut university funding by over £1.2 billion and adult learning by over £200 million.
 
Adam Dwight, UCU chair at Wolverhampton College, said:  'We are proud of the action taken by UCU members here at the college and the hard work from the union's officers in securing no compulsory job losses. We will now take to the streets on Monday lunchtime to protest against government cuts to front-line services and to call upon the chancellor to protect education in his budget.
 
'The West Midlands has huge problems with educational underachievement and I cannot see how cutting back on crucial funding is in anyone's interests. We are not willing to sit back and watch the educational opportunities for thousands of people being put at risk. UCU members at Wolverhampton will do all they can to fight for their students and the local community.'