Sixth form college strikers slam Labour’s inaction over pay
Strikers attacked the government for not including sixth form colleges that aren't academies in its recent 5.5 percent pay award
A picket line outside of City and Islington College in north London
Strikers attacked the government for not including sixth form colleges that aren't academies in its recent 5.5 percent pay award
A picket line outside of City and Islington College in north London
(Picture: Socialist Worker)
By Thomas Foster
Tuesday 03 December 2024
By Thomas Foster
Tuesday 03 December 2024
Socialist Worker Issue
Sixth form strikers vowed to “convince Labour through action” to give them a pay rise, as they began their second day of strikes on Tuesday.
Over 2,000 NEU union members at 32 sixth form colleges across England struck last Thursday. They are set to walk out on Wednesday—and plan further action next Friday and on 7, 8 and 9 January.
Labour snubbed workers at 40 sixth form colleges that haven’t been turned into academies in the summer. It announced that teachers will receive a fully-funded 5.5 percent pay rise this year, but didn’t include non-academised sixth forms.
There were solid picket lines across England. Zen, an NEU union rep at Loreto College picket line in Manchester, told Socialist Worker that the education secretary has effectively “split” sixth form colleges “in half”.
“The mood is very angry. We feel that we are undervalued. Why are we being treated differently to an academised sixth form college down the street?”
Around 20 people joined the picket line at City and Islington College in north London. “There hasn’t been any movement from Labour, so we will convince it through action,” one sixth form college striker told the picket line.”
Mike, a joint NEU education union rep at the college, told Socialist Worker that “there’s been complete silence from the government”. “It’s frustrating just being ignored,” he said.
He slammed Labour’s education minister Bridget Phillipson who “doesn’t seem to understand the arguments”. “It’s not very expensive to give us a pay rise, it doesn’t cost a lot,” he said.
Pippa teaches at the college and is joint secretary for Islington NEU union. She told Socialist Worker, “We’re out on strike because the national, pay award of 5.5 percent has been awarded to everyone but us.
“One thing is the unfairness. Another is that if ends up as have academised v non-academised, it will be breaking up our collective bargaining agreement and we will end up like a wild west.
“Our conditions of service will be eroded if that happens.”
Non-academised sixth form colleges also play a crucial role in our education system. Pippa said, “We offer a second chance to many students who haven’t thrived at school but are ambitious.
“Sixth form colleges provide places where those people can come and study in a place that isn’t quite like a school but allows them a bit more freedom and positivity.”
Despite this, successive governments have hammered sixth form colleges with cuts since 2010. They’ve lost the educational maintenance allowance, which helped disadvantaged children to come, tutorial hours, have had to shrink courses and now get less learning support workers.
“We know the government has money, look at how much they spend on weapons. And there are some very wealthy people in Britain who could be taxed. We need things to change,” Pippa said.
One striker told Socialist Worker, “I’m very angry. We are doing the same job as those who are being remunerated. It’s divisive to have our section separated from the others.” She thought that the move was “another push to academisation”.
Another striker said, “Is this really a Labour government? It is constantly talking about cozying up to business but that’s not where Labour came from.”
Rinny, a student activist, said, “I’ve been on the picket lines since I was at college. It’s important for students to come out and support teachers. My parent was a teacher and you can see the toll it takes on people.”
She argued that “teachers play an integral role” and “how little they get paid makes me incredibly sad”.
“The workload teachers are subjected to is a nightmare, at the very least we could pay them better.”
Sam, a joint union rep at the college, told the picket line, “We do what we do because we care about our students. I’ve been at this college for nearly ten years. I can’t imagine moving somewhere else.
“We’ve been ignored by the government and it will continue the deskilling of our colleges.”
Another striker said, “We have to keep up this fight until the government capitulates. Sixth forms must stay together as a group. We can win this.”
Sixth form strikers vowed to “convince Labour through action” to give them a pay rise, as they began their second day of strikes on Tuesday.
Over 2,000 NEU union members at 32 sixth form colleges across England struck last Thursday. They are set to walk out on Wednesday—and plan further action next Friday and on 7, 8 and 9 January.
Labour snubbed workers at 40 sixth form colleges that haven’t been turned into academies in the summer. It announced that teachers will receive a fully-funded 5.5 percent pay rise this year, but didn’t include non-academised sixth forms.
There were solid picket lines across England. Zen, an NEU union rep at Loreto College picket line in Manchester, told Socialist Worker that the education secretary has effectively “split” sixth form colleges “in half”.
“The mood is very angry. We feel that we are undervalued. Why are we being treated differently to an academised sixth form college down the street?”
Around 20 people joined the picket line at City and Islington College in north London. “There hasn’t been any movement from Labour, so we will convince it through action,” one sixth form college striker told the picket line.”
Mike, a joint NEU education union rep at the college, told Socialist Worker that “there’s been complete silence from the government”. “It’s frustrating just being ignored,” he said.
He slammed Labour’s education minister Bridget Phillipson who “doesn’t seem to understand the arguments”. “It’s not very expensive to give us a pay rise, it doesn’t cost a lot,” he said.
Pippa teaches at the college and is joint secretary for Islington NEU union. She told Socialist Worker, “We’re out on strike because the national, pay award of 5.5 percent has been awarded to everyone but us.
“One thing is the unfairness. Another is that if ends up as have academised v non-academised, it will be breaking up our collective bargaining agreement and we will end up like a wild west.
“Our conditions of service will be eroded if that happens.”
Non-academised sixth form colleges also play a crucial role in our education system. Pippa said, “We offer a second chance to many students who haven’t thrived at school but are ambitious.
“Sixth form colleges provide places where those people can come and study in a place that isn’t quite like a school but allows them a bit more freedom and positivity.”
Despite this, successive governments have hammered sixth form colleges with cuts since 2010. They’ve lost the educational maintenance allowance, which helped disadvantaged children to come, tutorial hours, have had to shrink courses and now get less learning support workers.
“We know the government has money, look at how much they spend on weapons. And there are some very wealthy people in Britain who could be taxed. We need things to change,” Pippa said.
One striker told Socialist Worker, “I’m very angry. We are doing the same job as those who are being remunerated. It’s divisive to have our section separated from the others.” She thought that the move was “another push to academisation”.
Another striker said, “Is this really a Labour government? It is constantly talking about cozying up to business but that’s not where Labour came from.”
Rinny, a student activist, said, “I’ve been on the picket lines since I was at college. It’s important for students to come out and support teachers. My parent was a teacher and you can see the toll it takes on people.”
She argued that “teachers play an integral role” and “how little they get paid makes me incredibly sad”.
“The workload teachers are subjected to is a nightmare, at the very least we could pay them better.”
Sam, a joint union rep at the college, told the picket line, “We do what we do because we care about our students. I’ve been at this college for nearly ten years. I can’t imagine moving somewhere else.
“We’ve been ignored by the government and it will continue the deskilling of our colleges.”
Another striker said, “We have to keep up this fight until the government capitulates. Sixth forms must stay together as a group. We can win this.”
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