The FEC meeting on Friday 17th considered the injunction granted to the employers which had blocked our strike action on 14th October. There has been widespread anger and outrage among FE lecturers at the draconian response of the employers who have conspicuously failed to defend the sector in the face of heavy funding cuts. A petition protesting the injunction attracted over 900 signatures in a little over two days.
The main reason the judge gave for granting the injunction sought by the Principal of Westminster Kingsway College on behalf of the AoC was that the union had taken no further action since the strike on 3rd December 2013.
The fact remains that most FE teachers have lost around £5,500 pa in the past five years. FEC voted to re-ballot over rejection of last year’s pay offer and FEC officers are currently working on the timeline for this process.