UCU members at Lambeth College are taking/indefinite/strike action

GPTU REITERATES IT'S SUPPORT FOR LAMBETH COLLEGE UCU:

• GPTU sends it's solidarity to Lambeth College UCU strikers. Green Party Trade Union group Secretary Peter Murry writes; "As an ex FE lecturer and member of the UCU Retired (London) Branch, I know that Further Education can often seem like the 'forgotten' sector of education and it is all to easy in a climate of austerity for yet more attacks to be mounted on FE Lecturers' pay and conditions inspite of the fact that FE plays a vital role benefitting society as a whole. I therefore send support to theLambeth College UCU strikers on behalf of GPTU."

acknowledgements to dave plummer

   UCU members at Lambeth College are taking/indefinite/strike action
   from this thursday 1st May. This bold and militant move is a
   response to a remarkable assault on pay and conditions by
   management, who are attempting to impose new contracts which include
   the following changes:

   . Increased working hours
   . Extended working week
   . Annual leave cut by 2 weeks
   . Increased contact hour time by 1 hour
   . Additional duties for no remuneration
   . A link between pay increments and capability
   . Reduced notice of redundancy
   . Drastically reduced sick pay

   Management are initially attempting to impose these contracts on new
   staff, current staff who are promoted or wish to change their
   fraction and will also affect current hourly-paid staff. However,
   management documents also state that the new contract of employment
   may be rolled out across the board for all existing staff.

   This dispute is of huge significance; if the new contracts are
   allowed to go through it will set a dangerous precedent for the
   sector and more widely. This is happening in a further education
   sector which is already being hit by funding cuts, frequent
   restructuring and in which staff already deal with unacceptably high
   workloads. So support for the strike is crucial - to boost the
   morale of the UCU workers, to show public condemnation of
   management's actions and also to increase the likelihood of Lambeth
   College Unison joining the strike as well - they are currently
   balloting for action. Here's how you can show your solidarity:

   On thursday 1st May. in addition to picket lines at the Brixton
   and Vauxhall Centres, there will be a Mass Picket  outside
   the  Clapham Centre, 45 Clapham Common Southside (Clapham Common
   tube station, Northern Line) to which trade unions and other
   supporters are invited.
   . That evening there will be a solidarity strike rally at 6pm in the
   evening, at the Karibu Centre, Gresham Road, Brixton, called by
   Lambeth College UCU, Lambeth College Unison and London Region UCU,
   where there will be hot food, and placard-painting activities for
   children
   Send messages of support to Branch Secretary, Mandy Brown, at
   mandybrowncow@yahoo.com.
   . Donate to the strike fund:

     Make cheques payable to J. Eldon and send to Mandy Brown c/o
   Lambeth Trades Council, Hambrook House, Porden Road, London SW2 5RW.

    Bank details: Halifax, Acc Name: J Eldon. Sort Code: 11- 01- 07.
   Acc No: 11242869