Second union announces strike at Chesterfield College

Members of the two unions will take action on Tuesday (18 June) and Thursday (20 June). Union members will be on picket lines at the Sheffield Road and Infirmary Road entrances to the college from 7am (see map here - http://tinyurl.com/8hc8gx8).

UCU members took a day's strike action last week and said they planned further action if the college refused to revisit plans to make staff compulsory redundant. Now another union at the college (NASUWT) has announced its members will be joining UCU on the picket lines for two days' strike action next week.

The college has announced plans to make 70 staff redundant, despite the fact that over 100 staff have left the college through voluntary redundancies in the last two years. The unions have called for negotiations around an improved voluntary redundancy scheme and to explore less damaging ways of achieving cost savings.

UCU regional official, Anne O'Sullivan, said: 'UCU members took strike action last week because they have had enough of the way the college treats them. We are pleased our colleagues in NASUWT have also delivered such a strong vote for strike action and will be joining us on the picket lines next week.

'The college cannot continue to ignore our concerns about what more job losses will do to students' education. We do not accept the college's defence that prioritising millions of pounds on buildings over staff is the way to attract students to the college. Substance is always more important that style.'

The joint strike action between the two unions has replaced two days of strike action originally planned by just UCU for today  and tomorrow.