Summer '24 - NEU strike threats win 5.5%.
Jan '25 - NEU strikes in SFC win another £50m.
WTF do we do to demonstrate that FE England needs national UCU action?
National indicative ballot?
Why not?
Stand together, stand fast.
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Where do we stand on this?
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
@johnfonesucu.bsky.social
@ucu.org.uk
So many fiefdoms.
If no national FE system, then parity is difficult to achieve.
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
@drmcarley.bsky.social
@vickyblake.bsky.social
@illdoitanyway.bsky.social
No more quasi independent fiefdoms.
No more headhunting and poaching of colleagues.
First priority must be to achieve parity across FE England.
No - across FE UK.
First stop - BNN.
Binding National Negotiation.
@ucu.org.uk
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
2028 Carey reports on Social Care.
So, WTF are Skills England doing?
Why seemingly so secret.
My recommendations - for free.
- Nationalise FE
- National Pay Scales
- Parity with schools.
It'll take time - so better start now!
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Yep. Invest in workers.
By paying them well, providing rewarding work and a rewarding working environment.
You train them to the highest standards and raise their morale.
None of which applies across the board in FE England.
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Spot on, Geoggers!
Principals!
Every time you pay staff the way you do ..
FE is devalued,
Education is devalued,
your staff feel devalued, and
...
your students get a bad deal.
And Govt?
Words fail me.
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
UCU asked for 10%.
A very modest step.
They offered 3% .. or 5%.
You pay peanuts ....
You don't treat staff as professionals, so don't expect professional commitment.
Another kick in the teeth for FE.
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
So someone had a 5% pay award in FE.
SO WHAT! It's an insult.
It still leaves them even further behind in the struggle for parity.
And what about the college down the road?
We need a National Pay Scale.
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
A 3% rise may seem reasonable, but parity now even further away.
It is NOT a good offer, albeit better than some others.
Face it.
Parity means a national pay scale.
Still a million miles away from that goal.
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
And when colleagues think they aren't working class.
If you couldn't live more than a month without a wage or a salary, then you, my friend, are truly working class.
No pretensions, please.
No kidding ourselves.
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
£300m × 2?
Can anyone point to the factual source of this story?
I've had no luck so far, but very happy to be proved wrong.
@ucu.org.uk
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
@ucusw-regcom.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
Please add the UCU SW Regional Committee to your Starter Pack.
Let's hope other RegComs can get on Bluesky as well.
@leedsucu.bsky.social @vickyblake.bsky.social
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
@ucu-btc.bsky.social
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
Does anyone know about this £300m?
Someone in a Further Ed college somewhere in England must know something about this fund and how it has been allocated.
Please tell us all about it.
@ucu.org.uk
UCU Bridgwater and Taunton College Branch are on Bluesky.
Follow and support colleagues in UCU.
Follow and support colleagues in FE, Prison and Adult Education.
Solidarity to colleagues in HE.
@ucu.org.uk
@johnfonesucu.bsky.social
@leedsucu.bsky.social
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Calling colleagues in Further Education.
My branch joining Bluesky this week.
Watch out for Bridgwater and Taunton College. BTC.
How about you?
How about your branch?
@ucu.org.uk
@magdaph.bsky.social
@katefurniture.bsky.social
@davebiology.bsky.social
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
If we really love it, then I guess we have to adopt the "missionary position"!
😉
@ucu.org.uk
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
and
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
If we really love it, then we need to take the "missionary position".
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
@ucu.org.uk
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Any SW FE colleagues out there on Bluesky?
Time to build the FE community.
@katefurniture.bsky.social
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Any FE colleagues out there on Bluesky?
Let's get this community going.
@magdaph.bsky.social
@davebiology.bsky.social
@ucu.org.uk
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
I'm obviously behind the times.
Can any FE colleague report funds coming from the £300m that we are told (by our GS) has already been allocated to FE colleges?
(NOT the £300m in the budget.)
No mention yet in my college. (Perhaps we're preoccupied - OFSTED.)
@ucu.org.uk
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
OFSTED - they come, they go, and we just carry on doing the good stuff!
This should be a normal week.
Don't accept any harassment!
Nothing more, nothing less.
UCU is here for you all.
#OFSTED-NO-BULLYING
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
#UCU_SpreadTheWord
Unfortunately too many of our colleagues are already at breaking point.
Demotivated and demoralised.
Worn down.
No energy for fighting back.
The only glimmer of hope is finding another job.
So, so angry. Grr.
ANGRY!! 😠 😡 👿
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Well. No-one got visibly upset.
Except for me. I guess they'll wear me down, unless my colleagues sharpen me and send me back.
😉
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Feels like dancing around each other, trying not to give much away.
Others more optimistic than me.
The government is going to have to cough up.
Hard to see Reeves loosening her Iron Chancellor grip.
Q:
Are we angry, and if so, how angry?
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
My first time on Monday sitting at the table with the AoC as a National Negotiator.
Let's hope it's not completely pointless.
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
@magdaph.bsky.social
@davebiology.bsky.social
@katefurniture.bsky.social
@lecturer6183.bsky.social
@vickyblake.bsky.social
Spot on.
Make a difference if you stay.
Get out if you can.
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
@magdaph.bsky.social
@davebiology.bsky.social
@katefurniture.bsky.social
AoC - a toothless tiger.
No real voice at all.
Certainly not over funding.
A self-serving association of college principals who built, over the last 30+ years, petty empires at the expense of staff pay.
Well-meaning principals are shackled by the legacy of predecessors.
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
@John_atBTC
AoC is now making noises about a 2% maximum pay rise for FE.
These people relentlessly drove down staff salaries for 30+ years.
Now they want us to believe and feel sorry for them.
Never forget this history!
Can you trust these people?
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Have you signed the New Deal petition?
Have you read the full national FE claim?
Have you emailed the Education Secretary and your MP?
Have you attended a branch meeting about the 2024 claim?
Are you bothered?
Are you involved?
What are YOU going to do about it?
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
Don't you hate auto-correct?
"A starting salary of £30,000 ... would be a great start."
Doh!
#UCU_FE_NationalAction
