High Spirits at Leicester College UCU Strike

2nd day of strike action (January 31)

By Steve Score (reporting from Freemen’s Park campus picket line)

Spirits were high on today’s frosty morning that striking FE teaching staff gathered outside Leicester College Freemen’s Park campus. The strike is over low pay as a result of what workers describe as sustained underfunding of Further Education. Many UCU (University and College Union) members in FE have seen the recent pay rises for nurses and teachers and say this has given them the push to call for action themselves.

The Socialist spoke to a lecturer on the picket who has worked for the college for more then 20 years. He said “I am paid less now than I was 15 years ago. On top of that staffing levels have halved over the past 3-4 years through redundancies whilst student intake has remained the same. The workload for the remaining staff has effectively doubled and we just can’t cope.” Another picketer chimed in…

“A lot of us have resorted to cutting our hours in an attempt to maintain our work-life balance. I only work four days a week now – I tried going down to three but couldn’t manage it financially. I still end up taking work home with me and doing unpaid hours there when I’m off the clock.”

The strike is due to resume again on Thursday 31^st with a further three days planned in March. With two colleges already gaining concessions before even taking any action the mood is hopeful that the reasonable demand for a 5% pay rise will be met. However, there should be no illusions in the bosses being won round by common sense arguments; the strike is what has brought them to the table. All of the striking colleges should stay unified in their action until there is a win for everyone, leaving no one out in the cold. The picket was bad enough! Brrr!

Freemen’s Park campus picket line

By Tessa Warrington (reporting from Abbey campus picket line)

Pickets were out at Leicester College for the first of two days strike action this week. While I was there giving solidarity from the Socialist Party the picket line had support from students, a UCU member from Leicester University and council workers tooting their horns on their vans.

David Hill, branch secretary UCU Leicester College said:

“We are on strike because of the really poor government funding of further education for a number of years and the impact it has had on resources, our students and staff pay. As a result of this staffing is roughly 25% down in the college over the last few years.”

“If there is no change after this we plan three days further action next month.”

Abbey campus picket line