UCU Left - Harlow College UCU

The UCU Left is a national organisation of University and College Union activists. It is committed to ensuring that the new union has a democratic structure through which members can determine policy, and elected officers and professional officials can be held accountable. It seeks to defend educational equality, and to oppose the consequences of neo-liberal marketisation. It is opposed to all forms of racism, sexism, oppression and imperialism.

Support Harlow College UCU

Thu 24th May - Picket lines ready as lecturers go on strike - report here

By Sean Vernell, London Region UCU NEC

Saturday 19/5 - Lobby of Bill Rammell MP and demonstration in support of Harlow UCU, attended by around 100 teaching staff

This Saturday (19/5), Harlow tutors were joined by tutors from across London region as they lobbied Bill Rammel at his surgery. The lobby was called to protest at the threat by Harlow College management to impose a new set of contracts on staff. These contracts include forcing up to 35% of staff onto unqualified contracts which will lead to a cut in their salary of over £10,000; working a 10 hour weekday and 6 hours on a Saturday; no upper limit on the number of weekly and annual teaching contact hours and the loss of between 3 and 5 weeks holiday.

Rammel came out and addressed the lobby and told tutors that he has been attempting to get management to open up talks with UCU representatives. To that end, management have now requested that Barry Lovejoy, the Head of UCU FE, should be a part of any future negotiations.

Although the demonstrators were pleased that Rammel has attempted to intervene to get management talking again, they felt disappointed that he did not make it clear that he was on their side against a vicious attempt at union busting.

After the lobby, around 100 people attended a rally where tutors at Harlow were promised total support from many other UCU branches and from London Region UCU in their opposition to these new contracts. Barry Lovejoy reported on the FEC decision to pay sustentation from day one of Harlow UCU’s 5 day planed strike action (starting Thursday 25th May).

Darren, from Croydon UCU branch,summed up the feelings of many union members when he stated how he had managed to raise over £300 for the Harlow tutors:

“Staff at my college are right behind you as they recognise that you are fighting for the future of FE. Our own management are already attempting to do a mini version of Harlow by trying to get Health and Beauty tutors on to unqualified contracts”.

Other solidarity collections included: £485 from City and Islington College, Camden Road branch; £107 from City and Islington College, Finsbury Park Branch; £60 from Tower Hamlets; £250 from Richmond College.

London regional executive met last Tuesday (16/5) and agreed to encourage all London members to donate £2 per strike day - £10 per member to the strike fund, and to encourage all branches across London to organise lunch time solidarity protests on Thursday 25th May – the first day of Harlow’s strike action.

Messages of Support

Please send messages of support to Branch Secretary - Adam Amor - aamor@ednet.harlow-college.ac.uk

Resources

Petition Supporting Harlow College UCU (PDF)

National UCU Leaflet - May 19th Day of Action (PDF)

Details of the new 'contracts' (here)

Press Reports

Harlow Star (24/5) - 'College lecturers start two-day strike'

Harlow Herald (17/5) - 'Decision to strike'

The Guardian (24/4) - 'Turmoil at college in minister's back yard'

Harlow Herald (12/4) - 'Staff at risk in shake up'