Tower Hamlets Strikes Ends With Mixed Results
Published:
September 27, 2009 14:59
by
Rachel
Neighbourhoods:
UCU and the SWP are reporting a victory in the Tower Hamlets College strike.
The so-called victory is that there are no compulsory redundancies. Instead the 13 at risk workers who formed the basis of the indefinite strike ballot were re-deployed or won appeals or have accepted enhanced voluntary redundancy.
There has been no agreement that there will be no further cuts or compulsory redundancies, or any other agreement honouring existing terms and conditions.
At the final meeting of the strikers some people raised concerns that compulsory redundancies were merely packaged as voluntary redundancies after those workers concerned came under pressure from both management and their own union officials. A significant minority objected to both the timing and the conduct of the final meeting and argued for rejecting the deal, but have accepted the vote of the majority to go back to work.
The mixed result should not detract from the many outstanding features of the 21 day strike which include strong and effective pickets, widespread support from the local community, energetic delegations to colleges and workplaces around the country, decisions taken in daily strike meetings and weekly mass meetings, creative tactics undertaken by strikers and supporters from the direct action movement, and quality debate about the broader social meaning of the struggle.
Strikers will have pay deducted over the next two months and so will still need to claim from the hardship fund so we ask for your continued financial support.
Benefit Social – Wednesday 30 September
The George Tavern, 373 Commercial St E1 – music, comedy, food. Suggested donation £5
Donate Money::
* Make a direct bank transfer to:
The Cooperative Bank
Sort Code: 08 92 99
Account Number: 65252262
* Send cheques payable to "UCU Arbour Square" to
UCU Tower Hamlets College
c/o LARC 62 Fieldgate Street London E1 1ES
Additions
Thanks for your support
Published: September 28, 2009 12:00
by
Richard McEwan & Mark Winter
Dear Friends,
On behalf of UCU Tower Hamlets Strikers can I thank everyone who has supported us. We could not have done it without your support. Every picket that went out to colleges reported back the warmth and encouragement they received from you. Everyone we talked to said your fight is our fight and you collected over £20,000 in solidarity! Your collections and invitations kept us going, and every time we wobbled we were reminded of the thousands of UCU members backing us 100%. We will be there for you because we won this together.
We fought and we won
There were no compulsory redundancies. We saved the mentorship scheme that has helped over 700 young people to grow in confidence and study at university. We saved over 300 Esol places, helping people to learn English and join the community. We stopped all the compulsory redundancies in admin, support and youth work. We stopped cuts to A level hours. We doubled the VR offer and we saved learning mentors who provide vital one to one support for students.
We have grown as a union and we feel stronger than ever.
We will be at the demonstration at the Labour Party Conference this Sunday with our banner 'UCU Tower Hamlets strikers, Defending Jobs & Education: Save Esol 'Guardians of education.' Come and join us at the front! A new campaign to defend education starts now.
Celebration this Wednesday (30th) at the George Tavern on Commercial Road from 7.30pm. Nearest tube Limehouse DLR (10 mins from Bank). 15 / 115 bus from Aldgate East heading East. Please come and join us for a party so we can give you a big thank you.
In solidarity,
Richard McEwan & Mark Winter
Joint Branch Sec UCU, Poplar
Latest articles feed
Gains of the strike
There were very real gains made as a result of the strike including teaching posts saved, hundreds of esol student places saved, and a guarantee of no compulsory redundancy for unison staff (not itself a demand of the strike but an obvious consequence of the threat of the strike spreading to unison).