National Education Union members working in 34 Sixth Form
Colleges will be taking strike action on Wednesday 12
February in response to the impact of funding cuts in
their sector.
It is one of three strike days taking place between now and
Budget Day. The other dates are Thursday 27 February and Tuesday
10 March.
In total, 38% of all sixth form colleges and 16-19
academies will be taking action together. The NEU is in dispute
with the Secretary of State and seeking improved pay, conditions
and employment through better funding for 16-19 education.
NEU members will be taking action to secure the funding
needed to reverse job losses, class size increases, and cuts to
teaching time and curriculum provision.
Funding for 16-19 education has been cut by more and for
longer than in schools and funding increases announced before the
Election are grossly inadequate. Jobs have been cut, class sizes
have risen and pay has fallen. If the crisis continues to go
unaddressed, the future of the sector is at threat and it is
students’ education that will continue to suffer.
The NEU is seeking higher and sustained funding which will
improve the pay, working conditions and security of employment of
NEU members and secure the future of the sector.
Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the
National Education Union,
said:
“The Conservatives have neglected 16-19 education and sixth
form colleges in particular. No wonder our members are angry and
determined to secure a properly funded post-16 sector for both
students and staff.
“Gavin Williamson must take heed of this very real concern
from a long-suffering sector and make the case to the Chancellor
and the Prime Minister that the Budget on 11 March must include
at the very least a £700m injection of new money to close the gap
with schools. Otherwise the crisis in 16-19 funding will
continue.”
Editor’s Note
In the recent NEU sixth form colleges ballot, which closed
on 16 September, 84% of members voted Yes to action and Yes to
saving the sixth form sector. Overall, there was a 43%
turnout.
In addition, a re-ballot of 16 colleges – which closed on 4
November – saw 9 more colleges pass the 50% turnout threshold
under trade union law.
The following colleges will take part in Wednesday’s
action: Bilborough College, Nottingham; Brighton Hove and Sussex
Sixth Form College; Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College,
Stockport; City & Islington Sixth Form College; Esher
College; Hereford Sixth Form College; Hills Road Sixth Form
College, Cambridge; King Edward VI College Stourbridge; Long Road
Sixth Form College, Cambridge; Longley Park Sixth Form College,
Sheffield; Newham Sixth Form College; Notre Dame Catholic Sixth
Form College, Leeds; Priestley College, Warrington; Reigate
College; Richard Huish College, Taunton; Shrewsbury Colleges
Group; Sir George Monoux College, Waltham Forest, London; St
Brendan's Sixth Form College, Bristol; St Francis Xavier Sixth
Form College, Clapham, London; St John Rigby RC Sixth Form
College, Wigan; The Brooke House Sixth Form College, Hackney,
London; The Sixth Form College Solihull; Varndean College,
Brighton; Gateway Sixth Form College, Leicester; WQE and Regent
College Group, Leicester; Ashton Sixth Form College,
Ashton-under-Lyne; Coulsdon Sixth Form College; Havering Sixth
Form College; King Edward VI College, Nuneaton; Peter Symonds
College, Winchester; Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College,
Darlington; The Blackpool Sixth Form College; Thomas Rotherham
College, Rotherham; Xaverian College, Manchester.
For more information: https://neu.org.uk/sixth-form-colleges-ballot-and-strike
