A different FE is possible!

Please join us for a special UCU online event this Thursday 22 June at 6pm on our YouTube, Facebook & Twitter channels.

Our campaign is for a different kind of further education and a new deal for college staff in England that recognises the value of their work and calls for professional respect as well as better pay & working conditions. 

Please also sign the Respect FE pledge that sets out our demands.

https://respectfe.org.uk?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#UCU #FurtherEducation #RespectFE

A ballot for strike action opened today at Barnsley College over a consolidated pay offer for 2022/23 of just 2%. In a consultative poll 97% of the 70% of members who voted said they would back strike action.

The total pay offer from the college is 2% plus a paltry £300 one-off payment.

Meanwhile, the latest college accounts show it has more than £9m in the bank.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12924/Strike-ballot-opens-at-Barnsley-College-over-unacceptable-2-pay-offer?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#RespectFE #UCU #FurtherEducation

Staff at City College Norwich are on picket lines this morning in a strike over low pay. They will also be on strike on Tuesday and are demanding that management urgently raise pay to meet the cost of living crisis.

Staff have already taken two days of strike action this year after the college imposed a pay award so low it ended the college's accreditation as a Real Living Wage employer.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12917/City-College-Norwich-staff-on-strike-today-in-low-pay-dispute?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#FurtherEducation #RespectFE #UCU #strike

UCU has slammed North Kent College principle David Gleed for accepting a £20k rise (21/22) worth 12.5% even though his staff have endured ten years without any increase.

UCU said strike action could be on the cards unless staff finally get a pay rise that makes up for a decade of real term pay cuts and helps them meet current soaring levels of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12912/12.5-pay-rise-for-North-Kent-College-boss-after-staff-go-10-yrs-without-one?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#RespectFE #UCU #FurtherEducation #FurtherEd #NorthKentCollege

Staff at Bradford College will strike tomorrow in a dispute over low pay and working conditions.

The strike will be the first of 14 days of action unless staff get an improved pay offer and movement from management on unmanageable workloads.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12909/Bradford-College-staff-to-strike-tomorrow-over-low-pay?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#UCU #FurtherEducation #RespectFE #furthered

Staff at Barnet and Southgate College have voted to take industrial action in a long-running dispute over low pay and workload, UCU has announced.

Members were balloted last month and voted 96% in favour of strike action on a turnout of 67%. 

The college has now imposed a 'pitiful' pay award of just 2.5% for 2022/23.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12864/Strike-action-on-the-cards-at-Barnet--Southgate-College-as-staff-vote-for-industrial-action-over-low-pay?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#ucu #RespectFE #FurtherEducation

Further education colleges in England face an unprecedented staffing crisis because of devastatingly low pay, UCU said today.

This was in response to a report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies that shows a steep real terms fall in college teacher pay and major staffing issues, with around half of college teachers leaving the profession within three years of starting teaching.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12859/IFS-report-shows-English-colleges-face-staffing-crisis?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=respectFE

#UCU #FurtherEducation #RespectFE

87% of UCU members in FE in England have said they are prepared to take strike action to secure an above-inflation pay rise, and binding national bargaining structures and workload agreements. The turnout was 51%.

Maxine Looby, UCU vice-president, said 'This is a fantastic result and testament to the strength of feeling among college staff that we deserve respect and recognition.'

A special sector conference will decide next steps.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/RespectFE

#RespectFE #FurtherEducation #UCU

Staff at Sheffield College have overwhelmingly voted to reject a derisory 3.5% pay offer for 2023/24.

Members were consulted on the offer in an e-ballot. Turnout was over 50% and more than 81% of those who voted said they would not accept it.

Members paused strike action to enter into Acas mediated talks but were only offered an additional £100 one-off payment.

The college has more than £90m in reserves with over £14m in the bank.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12846/Strikes-loom-as-Sheffield-College-staff-reject-derisory-pay-offer?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#RespectFE #UCU #FurtherEducation

UCU's consultative e-ballot of the majority of members working in further education in England closes this Friday 24 March at 5.00pm.

UCU has now submitted our claim for this year. Our e-ballot asks if you would support a strike action ballot over pay, workload and binding national agreements.

If you haven't yet done so, please vote now using the unique voting link which was emailed to you.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12847/Respect-FE-e-ballot-ends-this-Friday-please-vote-now?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Social&campaign=RespectFE

#RespectFE #FurtherEducation #UCU

UCU members at Barnet and Southgate College are being balloted on whether to take strike action in a long-running dispute over low pay.

Staff have already taken three days of strike action in the long-running dispute after college bosses imposed pay awards of 1% for both 21/22 and 20/21, but due to anti-trade union laws, they now have to reballot. The college has now imposed a further award of just 2.5% for 2022/23.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12813/Strike-ballot-opens-at-Barnet--Southgate-College-over-pitifully-low-pay?utm_source=mast&utm_medium=post

#UCU #FurtherEducation #RespectFE

The UCU University of Westminster Co-Ordinating Committee have unanimously endorsed Maria Chondrogianni as candidate for the position of UCU Vice-President in the forthcoming elections
#maria4vp
#ucuRISING
#respectFE

#introduction

We're a UK trade union with 120,000 members in further, higher, prison & adult education. Our members are academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians, technicians, professional services staff & postgraduates.

We're fighting job losses & cuts.

We're fighting for better pay & conditions.

We're fighting to reverse damaging pension cuts.

#UCU #ucuRISING #RespectFE

Not a member? Join today: https://join.ucu.org.uk

#introduction

We're a UK trade union with 120,000 members in further, higher, prison & adult education. Our members are academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians, technicians, professional services staff & postgraduates.

We're fighting job losses & cuts.

We're fighting for better pay & conditions.

We're fighting to reverse damaging pension cuts.

#UCU #ucuRISING #RespectFE

Not a member? Join today: https://join.ucu.org.uk

RT @UCU_Hackney@twitter.com

Speaker from @LDNRentersUnion@twitter.com who have been great, supporting the pickets every day
#RespectFE #strikeclub

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/UCU_Hackney/status/1582751575121940480

RT @ucu@twitter.com

🚨WE DID IT! THE BEST COLLEGE BALLOT RESULTS SINCE THE TORIES BROUGHT IN THEIR ANTI-UNION BILL! 🚨

➡️89.9% YES VOTE

➡️57.9% TURNOUT

NOW 39 ENGLISH COLLEGES WILL FACE STRIKE ACTION OVER PAY ✊

#RespectFE

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/ucu/status/1549066212398845953

RT @ucu: 🚨NEW: A survey of college staff in England reveals a workforce struggling to make ends meet amidst the cost of living crisis

The results of the survey are stark & put the government's levelling up agenda at risk

Bosses must raise pay
#RespectFE
https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12390/8-in-10-staff-in-English-Colleges-suffer-from-financial-insecurity

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/CarolineLucas/status/1545664691485249538