Fighting fund banner

 

Strike action: 28 and 29 November

13 November 2018

To: UCU members at New College Swindon, Bath, Petroc, Bradford, Lambeth and Croydon Colleges

Strike action called - 28th and 29th November - up to £75 strike pay per day for members in the first wave

Today UCU is writing to your college to inform them that UCU members will be taking strike action at your college for two days from 28 November, the same day that fresh ballots will open in many other colleges across the country. 

I wanted to let you know that UCU will provide full support to members in the six colleges (New College Swindon, Bath, Petroc, Bradford, Lambeth and Croydon Colleges) taking this first wave of strike action with hardship payments of up to £75 for each day of strike action you take.

The massive vote in favour of strike action for better pay in your college has boosted UCU members in many other colleges where their ballots fell just short of a 50% turnout. 

The massive vote in favour of strike action for better pay in your college has boosted UCU members in many other colleges where members voted for strikes but where ballots fell just short of the required 50% turnout. UCU will do everything we can to make sure many more branches can join yours in the next wave of action. As members vote in new ballots, your branch will be leading the way so please support the union's stand for a better deal for further education (FE) staff.

The action you take, fighting for better pay and conditions in your college, has never been more important. The government's budget did nothing to boost funding for pay in colleges. So now we have to send them and our employers a clear message - we are not going away until we get fair funding from government and until your employers prioritise their staff. 

Next year the government will make decisions on funding for all departments for a number of years in a comprehensive spending review (CSR). The only way to secure long term sustainable funding for colleges is in this CSR.

The FE editor for the TES, Stephen Exley, recently said:

'Insiders have privately made the case that publicity arising from college strikes over pay could actually have strengthened the Department for Education's hands in negotiations with the Treasury.'

Now is the time for us to make as much noise as we can in colleges and it begins with you!

Thank you for your support for the union.

We are fully behind your action.

Matt Waddup
UCU national head of policy and campaigns

Last updated: 16 November 2018