IMMEDIATE CALL FOR BRANCH MEETINGS TO SEND DELEGATES AND MOTIONS BEFORE THE EASTER BREAK
FE Branch reps will have seen in the UCU FE News (branch officers briefing) that the FEC have agreed to launch a FESC Sector Conference on pay on April the 18th to be held in London. To meet deadlines, branches must meet before the Easter break to elect delegates and submit motions.
Deadlines:
* motions must be submitted by noon on Thursday 9 April;
* register delegates not later than 5:00pm on Friday 10 April
The conference has been called to deal with:
The AoC’s initial response to this year’s claim,
Ideas for the implementation of the ‘national plus’ strategy,
National oversight of local bargaining,
Formulating a pay campaign strategy for 2015/16 as early as possible.
The calling notice for this Special FESC can be found here http://www.ucu.org.uk/circ/html/UCU637.html
UCU will submit a claim for £1 increase per hour for every member. Negotiators from all unions agreed that this will be a popular campaign around which to unite members. This comes at an important time when pay has been cut by 17% during this parliament; some members have lost as much as £5K spending power. The news of 24% cut to adult funding makes the need for a collective response more important.
Our members will be asked to absorb further cuts to pay and jobs in the wake of funding cuts. Therefore, in addition to lobbies and demonstrations on funding cuts it is important that UCU branches rally to defend pay and make it clear – that the fight to defend pay is central to the campaign to defend jobs and education and gives FE a voice to demand more funding.