Teaching staff at Lambeth College are on all-out strike. The workers are fighting new contracts that attack pay and conditions, which would affect all new workers and create a two-tier workforce at the college.
The changes include:
• An increase in working hours, and a lower hourly rate of pay.
• Reduced holiday.
• An attack on sick pay entitlement for those on long term sick leave.
This is the fourth week of all out indefinite action for UCU members at the college.
Unison members joined the UCU on strike for the second time on 24-26 Jun.
The UCU have agreed £50 per day strike pay for their members, Unison’s strike pay is £15.
Niall Macgrath explained concerns about the difference in strike pay; “It costs as much to feed a Unison member as it does to feed a UCU member.”
Unison launched the “Sponsor a Lambeth College Striker” initiative at their National Delegate Conference. Ruth Cashman and Jon Rogers, Unison Joint Secretaries explained;
“We are calling for donations so we can make hardship payments so no member who want to fight this disgusting attack is forced back to work because they cannot afford to stay out. This is local dispute of national significance to workers in further as if this package of terms and conditions are pushed through at Lambeth College they will be rolled out across the sector.
Management at the College have tried to use the anti-trade union laws to stop the democratic decision of UCU members to strike. They have used intimidatory tactics against strikers threatening trade union reps with completely spurious disciplinary charges for their role in the dispute. The Lambeth College strikers’ fight is everybody’s fight. Make sure you play your part!”
The joint unions are also calling on community and student groups to broaden the action by organising solidarity actions to support the strike.
