Huge congratulations to all those who participated and supported Wednesday’s historic joint UCU and Unison strike action for fair pay in FE!
The day was a great success. Highlights included:
- incredible photos of busy picket lines from colleges all over the country. Some of the colleges spotted in social media pics and at rallies are listed at the bottom of this email.
- in her speech, Sally Hunt, General Secretary congratulated strikers and paved the way for further action: “If we have to do this again, then we do. Every step of the way challenge AoC’s policy. We should be very proud’
- Gorden Marsden, Shadow Skills and FE Minister showed once again Labour support for our strike, for our vision of education and our concerns about the upcoming area reviews
- Hannah Wray from Tower Hamlets College spoke at the London rally on behalf of Action for ESOL, calling on Cameron to fund ESOL and skilled, professional teachers and stop scapegoating migrants
- students from City and Islington and Tower Hamlets College also spoke at the rally, along with Shakira Martin NUS VP FE, about how FE had transformed their lives
- great coverage in the national and local press, even the Daily Mail!
This is a round up of the press from the day, plus online photo galleries :
ITV : Thousands of further education staff strike over pay
TES : https://www.tes.com/news/further-education/breaking-news/college-strike-pictures-picket-line
Daily Mail : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-3461253/Lecturers-education-staff-strike-pay-dispute.htmlpay briefing feb 2016
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/thousands-staff-eight-west-midlands-10940365
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/south-tyneside-college-lecturers-strike-over-pay-freeze-1-7746125
Storify UCU and UNISON FE strike (with images, tweets)
UCU and Unison strike together for fair pay in FE!
Frances O’Grady @FrancesOGrady Feb 24
My support is with the @ucu and @UNISON_FE strikers today. They’re out to defend further education services and learners.
Some of the colleges spotted in photos and rallies : East Durham, Bolton, Birmingham Met, Sandwell, South and City Birmingham, Halesowen, Sussex Downs, Wirral Met, Sussex Coast Hastings, South Downs, Northbrooke, Tyne Met, Telford, Derwentside, Leeds City, Conway Park, City College Plymouth, Manchester College, Truro, Wiltshire, Havering, Hugh Baird, Rugby, Suffolk New College, St Helens, Warwicks, Stafford, Gateshead, Tyne Met, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Darlington, Gateshead, Stratford upon Avon, Oldham, Chesterfield, Kirklees, Bradford, Northampton, Knowsley, Central College Nottingham, Southport, City of Bristol, Hartlepool, Bury, West Thames, Lambeth, Croydon, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge, CNWL, City and Islington, Westminster Kingsway, City Lit, Lewisham Southwark and Morley College who had their biggest picket ever of 30!!!
The FEC will meet on Friday 4th March where we will discuss next steps in the campaign for a fair £1 an hour for all staff.