If at first you don’t succeed…
This seems to be the guiding principle of the University and College Union’s (UCU) effort to organise its college-based members into industrial action over FE sector pay.
Earlier this month, despite an 85 per cent vote in favour of a walk-out, a clause in the Trade Union Act 2016 meant that strike action couldn’t legally go ahead. The act states that 50 per cent of union members in a college have to take part in a ballot, with a majority of those voting in favour - a result only achieved in six colleges.
Union officials revealed this week that they would reissue the ballots at branches where the 50 per cent mark was missed by a small margin, and are hopeful for a different result.
As a consequence, 27 colleges out of the 110 initially balloted will go through the process once again. Other branches with a lower turnout, but which are keen to reballot, could also be included.
The union believes its members are due a pay rise of 5 per cent, or a fixed increase of £1,500 for staff earning less than £30,000 per year. It believes this should be funded by colleges, whether the Department for Educations stump up the cash or not.
Officials, it would seem, are not going to allow some pesky legislation to get in the way of making demands through industrial action. UCU head of policy and campaigns Matt Waddup stated that anti-union laws would not stymie the UCU’s campaign for fair pay in further education. He said: “Overall turnout and support for strike action in the recent pay ballot was strong, but pernicious rules have frustrated many members’ wishes to take action.”
The appetite for strike action will undoubtedly grow after Monday’s Budget left the FE sector with no choice but to continue to function on an empty stomach. Despite tremendous efforts from the Love Our Colleges and Raise the Rate campaigns, the only substantial announcement from the chancellor was a cut in apprenticeship contributions for small employers.
Shadow FE minister Gordon Marsden, who had been calling for an increase in funding for colleges, said: “It is deeply disappointing that the chancellor has once again refused to give our further education sector the funding it needs.
“Spending on further and adult education has already fallen by £3.3 billion in real terms, and today’s Budget has made it clear that the prime minister’s promise to end austerity will not extend to colleges.”
James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, echoed the thoughts of teachers across the UK when he noted that the government found £420 million to fix potholes, but no new money to increase the quality of education of 16- to 18-year-olds.
