The result of the ballot for national strike action in regard to the 2009/10 pay offer is as follows. Further information will be sent following a meeting of the FE committee of the National Executive the Friday.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TAKE PART IN STRIKE ACTION?
Number of votes cast in ballot: 7699
Number of YES votes: 3780
Number of NO votes: 3912
Number of spoilt ballot papers: 7
Monday 11 January 2010
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
After the frenzy of last-minute Christmas shopping and dealing with large numbers of difficult relatives, is it time to relax and look forward to better year ahead?
Apparently not, according to the Guardian newspaper we should prepare to “get ready for the dawning of the age of austerity” where “ballooning budget deficit will usher a prolonged period of belt-tightening over the next decade”.
But how did things get this bad?
The Guardian reported that the “Royal Bank of Scotland racked up the biggest corporate loss in British history last year, survived only thanks to tens of billions of pounds of taxpayers' money, and is axing thousands of jobs” and asked the question “so how could the bank justify its plans to give executives bigger bonuses this year”?
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jun/02/further-education-pay-negotiations)
Similarly, the worst abuses of the parliamentary expenses system that included extravagance, sly acquisitiveness and outright criminal fraud were exposed by an investigation by the Telegraph newspaper.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/)
So are the ‘fat cats’ the root of most evil during the midst of the recession? Do those running the government and economy do so only for performance-related remuneration? Is accountability and responsibility severed when you decouple decisions about payment from ownership?
Here at Dearne Valley College we are facing “efficiency savings” and looking at “getting more for less”! Yet, some telling data from general FE and tertiary colleges compiled by the Learning and Skills Council and the AoC make interesting reading.
Between July 2007 and July 2008, average principals' pay rose by 6.5%, while the maximum pay increase for other college staff was 3.2%. The retail price index (RPI) in the same period rose 5% and average UK earnings rose 3.5%. Between July 2002 and July 2008, the average pay increase for principals was 41.6%. The maximum increase for college staff was 20.1% and the RPI rose by 23.1%. Average UK earnings rose 25.1%. It's clear that while FE staff pay has struggled to keep pace with inflation, it is way behind UK average pay rises - and average principals' pay rises are way out in the distance.
The Telegraph newspaper asks “So why not avoid all the arguing by always awarding staff the same pay rise as the principal”?
No doubt there will be a flurry of self-justifying complaints from principals defending their corporate acumen and performance-related remuneration. The fact is, though, that performance-related pay is invariably used to boost principals' pay, but to deny staff incremental progression.
Although there are many other features of the 2009-10 claim submitted by the FE unions, the headline claim is for 6%. The AoC has made an initial offer of a flat 1% with no other considerations. Before querying the size of the claim, people should consider all of the above data.
Public-sector staff are being asked to observe pay constraint during a recession!
That might be acceptable if general FE staff were on the gravy train in the good times, but we clearly weren't.
Meanwhile, colleges will be expected to play a vital role in retraining unemployed people.
And lecturers' pay still lags about 5% behind that of teachers!
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/)
UCU members at Dearne Valley College are in dispute and have been campaigning consistently for a pay award that should have been made in 2004. To bring about a successful resolution to the pay dispute more staff need to join the UCU and get behind the campaign.
At the last branch meeting it was confirmed that this College (one of several IOU colleges) was not to be balloted in the forthcoming National pay ballot as there is already a mandate. In the event of a YES vote Dearne Valley College UCU will consider taking action at the same time as National action.
Remember - a 1.5% pay offer by the AoC is significantly less than the 2.3% teachers and Welsh lecturers got and inflation is on the rise again. At this College the pay offer is below 1.5%!
In sum, we know that whoever wins the election major cuts are coming to the public sector. UCU estimates that there will be over £400 million of cuts in FE to come in 2010! We will be in better shape as a union to resist this onslaught if a strong vote for action in the current ballot is delivered.
Apparently not, according to the Guardian newspaper we should prepare to “get ready for the dawning of the age of austerity” where “ballooning budget deficit will usher a prolonged period of belt-tightening over the next decade”.
But how did things get this bad?
The Guardian reported that the “Royal Bank of Scotland racked up the biggest corporate loss in British history last year, survived only thanks to tens of billions of pounds of taxpayers' money, and is axing thousands of jobs” and asked the question “so how could the bank justify its plans to give executives bigger bonuses this year”?
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jun/02/further-education-pay-negotiations)
Similarly, the worst abuses of the parliamentary expenses system that included extravagance, sly acquisitiveness and outright criminal fraud were exposed by an investigation by the Telegraph newspaper.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/)
So are the ‘fat cats’ the root of most evil during the midst of the recession? Do those running the government and economy do so only for performance-related remuneration? Is accountability and responsibility severed when you decouple decisions about payment from ownership?
Here at Dearne Valley College we are facing “efficiency savings” and looking at “getting more for less”! Yet, some telling data from general FE and tertiary colleges compiled by the Learning and Skills Council and the AoC make interesting reading.
Between July 2007 and July 2008, average principals' pay rose by 6.5%, while the maximum pay increase for other college staff was 3.2%. The retail price index (RPI) in the same period rose 5% and average UK earnings rose 3.5%. Between July 2002 and July 2008, the average pay increase for principals was 41.6%. The maximum increase for college staff was 20.1% and the RPI rose by 23.1%. Average UK earnings rose 25.1%. It's clear that while FE staff pay has struggled to keep pace with inflation, it is way behind UK average pay rises - and average principals' pay rises are way out in the distance.
The Telegraph newspaper asks “So why not avoid all the arguing by always awarding staff the same pay rise as the principal”?
No doubt there will be a flurry of self-justifying complaints from principals defending their corporate acumen and performance-related remuneration. The fact is, though, that performance-related pay is invariably used to boost principals' pay, but to deny staff incremental progression.
Although there are many other features of the 2009-10 claim submitted by the FE unions, the headline claim is for 6%. The AoC has made an initial offer of a flat 1% with no other considerations. Before querying the size of the claim, people should consider all of the above data.
Public-sector staff are being asked to observe pay constraint during a recession!
That might be acceptable if general FE staff were on the gravy train in the good times, but we clearly weren't.
Meanwhile, colleges will be expected to play a vital role in retraining unemployed people.
And lecturers' pay still lags about 5% behind that of teachers!
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/)
UCU members at Dearne Valley College are in dispute and have been campaigning consistently for a pay award that should have been made in 2004. To bring about a successful resolution to the pay dispute more staff need to join the UCU and get behind the campaign.
At the last branch meeting it was confirmed that this College (one of several IOU colleges) was not to be balloted in the forthcoming National pay ballot as there is already a mandate. In the event of a YES vote Dearne Valley College UCU will consider taking action at the same time as National action.
Remember - a 1.5% pay offer by the AoC is significantly less than the 2.3% teachers and Welsh lecturers got and inflation is on the rise again. At this College the pay offer is below 1.5%!
In sum, we know that whoever wins the election major cuts are coming to the public sector. UCU estimates that there will be over £400 million of cuts in FE to come in 2010! We will be in better shape as a union to resist this onslaught if a strong vote for action in the current ballot is delivered.
Monday 9 November 2009
The 2009/10 pay award
SR has stated that due to the economic situation she has been advised to award a 1% pay increase to all DVC staff (the AoC has recommended 1.5% and this has been accepted by all unions exept UCU). SR proposes to offer 1.5% - but in order to do this it would have to be paid from January (so it would be 1% in real terms). The proposed package would be 1.5% to all staff (or £250 whichever is more) from January 2010! However, this is only a proposal at the moment and will firstly have to be presented to the ‘Pay and Renumeration’ meeting (17th November) for approval then to a finance meeting and finally recommended to the board of governors.
UCU regional representatives and I will be meeting SR and TD to discusss rationalisation to the new pay scale on 13th (Friday). This is a continuation of the IOU campaign (the 2004 AoC recommendation not implemented by SR at DVC). DVC UCU are now in dispute with management at DVC regarding the recent National pay award. SR has made it quiet clear that the meeting on the Friday will make NO difference to the present situation.
SR has stated that due to the economic situation she has been advised to award a 1% pay increase to all DVC staff (the AoC has recommended 1.5% and this has been accepted by all unions exept UCU). SR proposes to offer 1.5% - but in order to do this it would have to be paid from January (so it would be 1% in real terms). The proposed package would be 1.5% to all staff (or £250 whichever is more) from January 2010! However, this is only a proposal at the moment and will firstly have to be presented to the ‘Pay and Renumeration’ meeting (17th November) for approval then to a finance meeting and finally recommended to the board of governors.
UCU regional representatives and I will be meeting SR and TD to discusss rationalisation to the new pay scale on 13th (Friday). This is a continuation of the IOU campaign (the 2004 AoC recommendation not implemented by SR at DVC). DVC UCU are now in dispute with management at DVC regarding the recent National pay award. SR has made it quiet clear that the meeting on the Friday will make NO difference to the present situation.
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Latest News 03/11/09
The dispute over the increasing use and abuse of associate teachers/instructors at Barnsley College has led to a strike on Tues. November 3rd and Thursday November 5th. The first of the days is an open evening so it will hit the College hard.
You can send pledges of financial support to Dave Gibson who can be contacted on 01226 205346 (or by email) or send donations to: Barnsley College UCU, c/o 33 Western Street, Barnsley S70 2BT. Barnsley College UCU has been tremendously boosted by a donation of £500 from Barnsley NUT and has a target of £3000 to meet to support members through these days of strike.
Solidarity will be a key to success.
The National pay ballot timetable will not include IOU colleges (Dearne Valley is one of them) given that there was already a mandate for these branches to take action and that action on the pay claim and the IOU claim would be coordinated.
Talks are beginning at Askham Bryan on the 5th Nov, LCAD on the 6th Nov and here at Dearne Valley on the 13th Nov.
I obviously don't know what the outcome will be here but no progress has been made at Doncaster (redundancy consultations on going) and Rotherham.
I will attend a meeting of IOU branch officers on Wednesday 18th November at 4-30 at Doncaster College to report back on the talk mentioned above and discuss further IOU action.
All this could mean DVC UCU looking at Action Short of Strike as well as possible further strike days between now and end of January when the national pay ballot result is known.
The dispute over the increasing use and abuse of associate teachers/instructors at Barnsley College has led to a strike on Tues. November 3rd and Thursday November 5th. The first of the days is an open evening so it will hit the College hard.
You can send pledges of financial support to Dave Gibson who can be contacted on 01226 205346 (or by email) or send donations to: Barnsley College UCU, c/o 33 Western Street, Barnsley S70 2BT. Barnsley College UCU has been tremendously boosted by a donation of £500 from Barnsley NUT and has a target of £3000 to meet to support members through these days of strike.
Solidarity will be a key to success.
The National pay ballot timetable will not include IOU colleges (Dearne Valley is one of them) given that there was already a mandate for these branches to take action and that action on the pay claim and the IOU claim would be coordinated.
Talks are beginning at Askham Bryan on the 5th Nov, LCAD on the 6th Nov and here at Dearne Valley on the 13th Nov.
I obviously don't know what the outcome will be here but no progress has been made at Doncaster (redundancy consultations on going) and Rotherham.
I will attend a meeting of IOU branch officers on Wednesday 18th November at 4-30 at Doncaster College to report back on the talk mentioned above and discuss further IOU action.
All this could mean DVC UCU looking at Action Short of Strike as well as possible further strike days between now and end of January when the national pay ballot result is known.
Friday 2 October 2009
Latest News!.........
The AOC, having received confirmation from the other trade unions of their acceptance of the pay offer, is now recommending that colleges implement 1.5%. All Colleges may implement lower or higher awards as this is only a AoC recommendation and UCU is currently preparing for a ballot on an escalating programme of strike action following its rejection of the offer!
The AOC, having received confirmation from the other trade unions of their acceptance of the pay offer, is now recommending that colleges implement 1.5%. All Colleges may implement lower or higher awards as this is only a AoC recommendation and UCU is currently preparing for a ballot on an escalating programme of strike action following its rejection of the offer!
Tuesday 29 September 2009
News Flash - Union unrest over pay and conditions
DONCASTER College lecturers union officials today reported a surge of membership for today's strike over a long-standing pay row.
DONCASTER College lecturers union officials today reported a surge of membership for today's strike over a long-standing pay row.
Officials at the borough's branch of the University and College Union said they had seen a rush of online membership applications ahead of today's one-day strike by hundreds of lecturers. But the college has pledged to carry on as normal despite the lecturers' action. The union accuses the college of refusing to honour a national pay deal thrashed out in 2004, describing it as one of the "longest IOUs" in the history of industrial relations.Pickets were today out at the main college Hub building at the Waterfront and at the college's High Melton site, collecting signatures on a petition. A rally was planned for the Waterfront site at midday. Doncaster branch secretary Rod Challis described the strike as solid.He said: "Everyone has had enough. The thing about it, is we're not in it for the money, but this is a pay offer that dates back to 2004, and we've still not seen it yet. It just illustrates the scant regard the management has held for the staff
News Flash - Success! as York college strike is called off!
8:31am Tuesday 29th September 2009
A STRIKE planned for a York college has been called off at the last minute. Staff at Askham Bryan College planned to stage a one-day walk-out over a long-running pay dispute today.
But they have cancelled their intended industrial action after the University and College Union (UCU) said talks would now take place with the arbitration service ACAS.
Lecturers at the college went on strike in June over what they claim is a failure by the institution’s management to honour a pay deal thrashed out in 2004. However, the college has denied these claims and has said the pay deal which has been put on the table is fair.
Strikes were today being held at five other UK colleges. The union says the 2004 pay agreement would introduce new wage scales which would mean higher salaries for new lecturers and allow swifter progression to better-paid roles, bringing them into line with how schoolteachers are paid.
8:31am Tuesday 29th September 2009
A STRIKE planned for a York college has been called off at the last minute. Staff at Askham Bryan College planned to stage a one-day walk-out over a long-running pay dispute today.
But they have cancelled their intended industrial action after the University and College Union (UCU) said talks would now take place with the arbitration service ACAS.
Lecturers at the college went on strike in June over what they claim is a failure by the institution’s management to honour a pay deal thrashed out in 2004. However, the college has denied these claims and has said the pay deal which has been put on the table is fair.
Strikes were today being held at five other UK colleges. The union says the 2004 pay agreement would introduce new wage scales which would mean higher salaries for new lecturers and allow swifter progression to better-paid roles, bringing them into line with how schoolteachers are paid.
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