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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. |
| FE WALES - PAY STRIKE 16th APRIL 2008 Massive Support for Welsh FE Strike Shocks College Bosses |
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FE colleges throughout Wales experienced massive disruption and some were closed for the day as UCU members
walked out in support of the first National strike in Wales for 7 years. The Wales Evening Leader reported that
colleges were in “chaos” as a result of the strike. Pickets were out early at most colleges and over 250 members
from all over Wales attended a lively rally on the steps of the Welsh Assembly building in Cardiff. |
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At the Rally, NEC member for Wales, Andrew Price, condemned the employers for setting out deliberately to destroy
the new national pay agreement in its first year of operation. “Colleges see this agreement as a threat to their
so called autonomy as employers. They never wanted it and they have taken the first opportunity to stick the boot
into it” he said. Wales UCU Chair, Peter Jones called on the Assembly to rein in the hard-line principals who
have been orchestrating a campaign of lies and disinformation to undermine the strike. He roundly condemned the
threats made by some colleges to deduct a day’s pay if lecturers do not participate in classroom observations.
To loud applause he reminded the employers that UCU Wales is pledged to escalate the action if colleges impose
punitive pay deductions and that the union will not settle the dispute until such deductions are repaid. Messages of support were sent from other college unions including Unite and Unison, from the Cardiff and Deeside Trades Councils and from PCS Wales. Katrine Williams, Wales president of PCS, attended the rally in solidarity. In a surprise development Assembly minister for FE, John Griffiths, came out and asked to address the rally. He gave an assurance that the Assembly remained committed to pay parity with teachers and to a national pay scale for Wales. Unfortunately fforwm, the college employers, are still refusing to budge. They have told colleges not to pay increments from April as required by the Agreement. Nor will they give assurances that increments will be paid in future years despite Griffiths’ clear statement that the money is in college budgets. The wider lessons of this dispute are increasingly clear. Incorporation gives colleges wide powers to ignore national agreements with impunity. At the same time union activists cannot rely on political lobbying to achieve fair pay for FE lecturers. |
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New Labour in Wales claims to have put “clear red water” between itself and Westminster
but Welsh ministers will not fundamentally challenge incorporation and the free market principals that underpin it.
If the union is to shift the employers and stiffen the resolve of Assembly ministers, activists need to argue
vigorously for escalation of the strikes. We also need an effective implementation of withdrawal from institutional
self assessment to keep the pressure on. April 16 was a magnificent start to our campaign in Wales. Colleges were shocked by the level of support. College leaders had claimed publicly that a low ballot turnout meant the strike would collapse. The magnificent response by ordinary union members made them look foolish. We now need to build on this and keep the momentum going. Wales FESC will meet on Saturday 26 April to plan the next stage in the campaign. Activists must ensure their branches are fully represented at that meeting. |
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