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Hull College Group UCU members overwhelmingly back strike action over job cuts

18 April 2018

Overall, 79% of the staff who voted at the college's three campuses in Hull, Harrogate and Goole backed strike action. Turnout was 57%. Staff will meet tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss potential strike dates and to vote on a motion of no-confidence in chief executive, Michelle Swithenbank.

The row centres on plans to cut 231 full-time equivalent posts across the college's three campuses. UCU says the plans could lead to around a third of the workforce being cut and would mean fewer learning opportunities for local people.

Staff and students joined a lunchtime protest against the job losses outside the college's Hull site today (Wednesday) organised by Hull Trades Council. The college had sent an email to all staff saying that staff who joined the protest risked doing so illegally.

UCU said this clearly was not the case and has questioned if the college was deliberately misinforming staff or did not understand employment law.

UCU regional official, Julie Kelley, said: 'The overwhelming vote for strike action reflects the strength of anger amongst staff about these job cuts. The proposals would be deeply damaging for the college, its students and the local community.

'Staff feel they now have no option but to take strike action to defend jobs. They have little confidence in a senior management team that either doesn't understand employment law, or has taken to deliberately misinforming staff to try and bully them out of protesting. UCU members will be discussing a motion of no confidence in the college chief executive tomorrow.'

Last updated: 18 April 2018

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