East London sixth form strikes over pay
Plus: teachers vow to fight performance related pay
On the picket line in Hackney, east London
By Two NEU union members in Hackney
Wednesday 13 November 2024
SOCIALIST WORKER Issue
School workers at BSix Sixth Form College in Hackney, east London, struck on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. NEU education union members are in a pay battle against a new management.
New City College, a corporation of multiple further education colleges across east London, took over the college this year.
Union members were anxious about the takeover and the former principal resigned within three weeks of the start of the year, back in September.
Since then, there has been a rapid change to roles and the working day, during what was supposed to be a transition year. Management has added additional tasks with little notice, students are dealt with disdain.
Inside the east London fight to save Hackney’s schools
Read More
Part of the dispute is over the 5.5 percent pay rise. The government gave it to all sixth form colleges that are part of a school or have been academised. But it didn’t give it to workers in 40 independent sixth form colleges. Staff regard themselves as a sixth form and also demand the 5.5 percent pay rise.
There are also issues of keeping the same contract for all new staff and not having a two-tier pay system. Graded learning walks is another issue being contested.
But the really jolting aspect is the sudden change in culture and values. Everything seems to be about profit and money. The new management does not want to negotiate.
Instead, they stood on the college grounds this morning, taking pictures of the picket line and writing down names of teachers.
It was good to see local Labour MP Diane Abbott joining our picket line. She has been a fantastic supporter of our college. She walked in to speak to the CEO and told him exactly what she thought.
The strike continues next week and staff are hoping that negotiations restart. This strike is fundamentally about fighting the corporatisation of education, which has no place in teaching young people.Send messages of support to: David.Davies@neu.org.uk
Teachers vow to fight performance related pay
Over 200 people attended a meeting of Educators Say—a grassroots network of NEU activists—on Tuesday night.
The meeting agreed a strategy of industrial action to get rid of performance-related pay for teachers.
Chris Denson, a member of the NEU national executive, told Socialist Worker, that performance-related pay won’t go “unless we fight for it”.
The meeting was about “turning from being reactive to thinking about how we can go on the front foot,” he said.
“Instead of looking at it locally, the Educators Say meeting was trying to coordinate across branches. We had 60-70 branches all supporting this meeting. If we all follow a similar strategy we can build to make a national difference,” he said.
“We want this fight coordinated branch by branch—dozens and dozens pressing for strike ballots.”
“In Coventry where I work every union rep sent a letter at the same time saying you have to get rid of this or we are balloting.”
“It’s not just about getting rid of performance-related pay. Once we get people coordinated across branches, we can roll it out to other campaigns. There were branches across the country at the meeting saying yes, we are going to take this on.”
Unified action “gives people confidence,” Chris argued. “It is a way branches can work together to find a way forward.”
Thomas Foster
School workers at BSix Sixth Form College in Hackney, east London, struck on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. NEU education union members are in a pay battle against a new management.
New City College, a corporation of multiple further education colleges across east London, took over the college this year.
Union members were anxious about the takeover and the former principal resigned within three weeks of the start of the year, back in September.
Since then, there has been a rapid change to roles and the working day, during what was supposed to be a transition year. Management has added additional tasks with little notice, students are dealt with disdain.
Inside the east London fight to save Hackney’s schools
Read More
Part of the dispute is over the 5.5 percent pay rise. The government gave it to all sixth form colleges that are part of a school or have been academised. But it didn’t give it to workers in 40 independent sixth form colleges. Staff regard themselves as a sixth form and also demand the 5.5 percent pay rise.
There are also issues of keeping the same contract for all new staff and not having a two-tier pay system. Graded learning walks is another issue being contested.
But the really jolting aspect is the sudden change in culture and values. Everything seems to be about profit and money. The new management does not want to negotiate.
Instead, they stood on the college grounds this morning, taking pictures of the picket line and writing down names of teachers.
It was good to see local Labour MP Diane Abbott joining our picket line. She has been a fantastic supporter of our college. She walked in to speak to the CEO and told him exactly what she thought.
The strike continues next week and staff are hoping that negotiations restart. This strike is fundamentally about fighting the corporatisation of education, which has no place in teaching young people.Send messages of support to: David.Davies@neu.org.uk
Teachers vow to fight performance related pay
Over 200 people attended a meeting of Educators Say—a grassroots network of NEU activists—on Tuesday night.
The meeting agreed a strategy of industrial action to get rid of performance-related pay for teachers.
Chris Denson, a member of the NEU national executive, told Socialist Worker, that performance-related pay won’t go “unless we fight for it”.
The meeting was about “turning from being reactive to thinking about how we can go on the front foot,” he said.
“Instead of looking at it locally, the Educators Say meeting was trying to coordinate across branches. We had 60-70 branches all supporting this meeting. If we all follow a similar strategy we can build to make a national difference,” he said.
“We want this fight coordinated branch by branch—dozens and dozens pressing for strike ballots.”
“In Coventry where I work every union rep sent a letter at the same time saying you have to get rid of this or we are balloting.”
“It’s not just about getting rid of performance-related pay. Once we get people coordinated across branches, we can roll it out to other campaigns. There were branches across the country at the meeting saying yes, we are going to take this on.”
Unified action “gives people confidence,” Chris argued. “It is a way branches can work together to find a way forward.”
Thomas Foster
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