Campaign Update
Campaigns Update (Friday 25th May 2012)
Dear Colleague,
Welcome to this week’s UCU Campaigns Update.
Strike ballot opens at Salford University:
Around 180 UCU members are in 'redundancy pools' and a third (60) of them will lose their jobs under management's plans. The result of the ballot will be announced at UCU Congress on 8 June.
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6098
UCU members to strike at Chesterfield College:
Members of UCU at Chesterfield College will take strike action on Tuesday after the college was accused of 'ambushing' staff with a two-year pay freeze.
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6103
Staff vote for strike action at Sunderland College:
UCU members at Sunderland College voted overwhelmingly on Monday to take strike action in a row over pay.
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6095
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-18143428
TPS Update – Contact your branch officers now:
The NEC has decided that Congress will make the next decision about the future of the TPS dispute, including whether to join a strike with PCS in June. Read the report from the NEC meeting here and contact your branch officers to make your views known:
http://www.ucu.org.uk/tps-underattack
All five unions reject higher education pay offer:
All five trades unions - EIS, GMB, Unite, UCU, and Unison have expressed their deep disappointment with the employers’ pay offer of just 1%. The unions confirmed that they would not be recommending the final offer when they consult members on whether to accept or reject.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=420085#.T79cC6SLYps.twitter
*NEW* UCU Support Centre:
New FAQs have been uploaded on the subject of TUPE transfers, at the UCU Support Centre:
https://ucu.custhelp.com/app/home/
TUC announces October 20th demo for 'A Future That Works':
The TUC has announced a national demonstration in London on October 20th demanding investment and growth rather than the government policy of austerity and spending cuts. Watch this space for UCU campaign materials and further details.
*NEW* Competition to design UCU’s national banner!
We’re pleased to invite you to enter an exciting competition to design the union’s new national banner. This is a fantastic opportunity to be a part of UCU history and see your design help represent the union on marches, demos, picket lines and events across the country. Both members and students can apply. Entries should reflect UCU’s values of education, equality and solidarity and the winning design will join a tradition going back hundreds of years of trade union history. Please email jstephens@ucu.org.uk for further details.
FE News for May 2012:
This edition includes 2012/13 Pay Talks, New Equality Joint Agreement, lesson observations update
http://www.ucu.org.uk/fenews
A4e to be investigated over education and skills contracts:
The beleaguered welfare-to-work company A4e is to be investigated for potential fraud over the running of its skills and education contracts. Sally Hunt, repeated her calls for A4e to be disqualified from running new £30m prison education.
http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6241750
Nick Clegg's warm words on social mobility cannot disguise punitive policies, says UCU:
UCU said that warm words could not disguise the fact that key policy decisions were denying people from the poorest backgrounds access to education.
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6096
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-hits-out-at-class-divides-7778358.html http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/nick-clegg-snobbery-is-nobbling-the-economy-844331
Colleges and students are ill-prepared for FE loans, warns UCU:
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, warned that the further education sector is ill-prepared for the introduction of further education loans and called on the government to properly study its own research:
http://feweek.co.uk/2012/05/18/the-government-and-sector-are-ill-prepared-for-fe-loans/
Urgent protection needed for health education as MPs fear 'raids' on training budgets:
UCU called on the government to urgently protect healthcare education:
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6097
Invest in new industries now government told:
UCU members will join a rally outside the department of work and pensions today to call on the government to urgently invest in new industries as a way of boosting employment and economic growth.
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6104&from=1676
UCU politics monthly - May 2012:
Monthly political news from UCU around the UK: http://www.ucu.org.uk/politicsmonthly
Anti-Casualisation News:
The latest edition of Anti-Casualisation News is now available at:
http://www.ucu.org.uk/anticasnews
Anti-Casualisation – Getting Managers on Board:
UCU has published 3 new leaflets aimed at managers of staff on casualised contracts. These leaflets set out the ways in which managers can support UCU’s fight against casualisation: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3541
Take action to protect the life of Colombian human rights activist:
With Miguel Beltran, the Colombian academic freed after a campaign led by UCU and Justice for Colombia (JfC). UCU members are asked to show similar support to Colombian human rights defender, Liliany Obando:
http://www.justiceforcolombia.org/campaigns/liliany-obando/