Education

Tower Hamlets Class Struggle #7 - Sep-Oct 2012

An industrial bulletin by and for education workers in Tower Hamlets. The September-October issue discusses the NUT/NASUWT work-to-rule and the build-up to the 20 October TUC demo. Click here to download the PDF.

Unison members in HE gear up for autumn pay strikes

Unison members working in Higher Education have rejected a 1% pay offer from their employers. A rep from a London university spoke to Solidarity about the campaign. HE employers offered a 1% pay rise for this year; how have Unison members responded? Our branch has had a consultation on the pay offer. We do this every year. Usually most people vote in favour of accepting the offer, rather than take industrial action. This year members voted overwhelmingly to reject the offer, understanding that this would probably mean being balloted for industrial action. This is a big change and shows members...

Blame the teachers?

The figures for 16-18 year old who are not in education, employment or training — NEETs, as they are termed — have risen over the previous year (8.1% now compared to 7.5% in 2010). This must be good news for the coalition. NEETs are a fantastic opportunity for apportioning blame; if crime levels in particular area rise, find a correlation with NEET levels. If it is felt necessary to stir up the electorate by attacking the teaching profession (with its strong level of union activism) then suggest that this is all the fault of education and demand support for imminent reforms. The fact that one...

Tower Hamlets Class Struggle #6

An industrial bulletin by and for education workers in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Click here to download PDF.

Support Downhills strike against forced academy status, Tuesday 19 June

NUT and Unison members at Downhills Junior School, Haringey, will strike on Tuesday 19 June against government plans to force the school to become an academy. Please send messages of support to - Downhills UNISON: healthandsafety@haringeyunison.co.uk Haringey UNISON: Branchsecretary@haringeyunison.co.uk Downhills NUT: philbrett@msn.com This is the second day of strike: the unions held a first on 22 May. Campaigners, including parents, recently occupied a Carpetright store in protest at the forced academy plan. The owner, Lord Harris, is behind the Harris Federation which is due to get control...

After June 16th – why we need to organise the rank and file

A discussion paper for the 16 June rank and file school workers' conference in Liverpool . Click here to download pdf . A rank and file network needs the maximum amount of democracy and accountability as it seeks to test and extend such mechanisms within the Union as a whole. On a national level, it should be based on a network of delegates from representative groups of workers – most importantly, workplace groups. If we aim towards delivering action that 'works', the network should think beyond “how do we get the Union to fight?”. It should ask, “how do we get the most effective action...

Student Strike movement in Quebec

Student Strike in Quebec against the increase in tuition fees On 13 February 2012 an indefinite student general strike was started in Quebec against the increase in tuition fees which has been legislated by the Liberal government led by Jean Charest. The planned rise is $1,625 over five years, which represents a phenomenal increase in fees which are currently at $2168 per year. The stated intention is to attain the Canadian average which is currently $4,000 per year. Quebec currently has the lowest tuition fees in North America following important struggles by students and workers to defend...

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