93 % in favour of Strike action !

UCU Ballot to Defend Jobs & Defend Education @ Chesterfield College:

Dear Colleagues ,

Notification Ballot Result - 93 % in favour of Strike action .

A UCU full Branch Meeting will take place on  : Tuesday 4^th June 2013 at 4.00 P.M  - Recital Room  , North Block .

AGENDA

·       Implementation of  Ballot result

UCU - Lambeth College

We are shocked to hear about the 70 planned redundancies at Chesterfield. We stand with you as you fight these cuts to education and job losses and will do whatever we can to support you.

We are in a similar situation at Lambeth College where management have just announced 30-40 compulsories, as well as axing A level provision and laying out plans to cut our contract and annual leave next year.

As individual college managements attempt to exploit the crisis by pushing through cuts to courses, eliminating union reps and slashing our contracts which they have always wanted to do, we need to stand together and fight them every step of the way.

Please let us know how we can support you further.

Solidarity

Mandy Brown

UCU Branch Sec

Lambeth College

Defend Jobs & Defend Education @ Chesterfield College

UCU are campaigning in Chesterfield Town Centre on Saturday 25^th May 2013 from 11.00 A.M – 1.00 P.M – ( Stall 
In front of Market)


 Please come and support  your campaign 

- Defend Jobs & Defend Education @

 Chesterfield College

Vote Yes

UCU’s industrial action ballot opened  on Wednesday of this week and the ballot only remains open for 1 week.

·        You will now have received your ballot paper.

·        It is very important then that you vote and return 

        your ballot paper immediately. 

UCU are strongly urging that you vote YES in the ballot.

Northampton - UCU

Dear colleagues,

We wish you well in your dispute with employers. 

We know from our own experience that the support of colleagues from across the UK can be really helpful during this kind of struggle, and I, and my colleagues in Northampton, wish you well.

Christine Midgley

Defend Jobs & Defend Education @ Chesterfield College

UCU Ballot to Defend Jobs & Defend Education @ Chesterfield College: 

Dear Colleagues ,

·        UCU’s industrial action ballot opened  on Wednesday of this week and the ballot only remains open for 1 week.

·        You will have received your ballot paper in the post today . If you have not received please let me know ASAP. Please note if you receive your post directly at your work address – you will need to collect from the post room tomorrow morning  .

·        It is very important then that you vote and return your ballot paper immediately. UCU are strongly urging that you vote YES in the ballot.

UCU are also campaigning in Chesterfield Town Centre on Saturday 25^th May 2013 from 11.00 A.M – 1.00 P.M – Please come and support  your campaign - Defend Jobs & Defend Education @ Chesterfield College

Vote YES in the ballot.

UCU’s industrial action ballot opens today and the ballot only remains open for 1 week. 

You will receive your ballot paper in the post tomorrow.

 It is very important then that you vote and return your ballot paper immediately.

 UCU are strongly urging that you vote YES in the ballot.

UCU - Finsbury Park Branch City and Islington College

We would like to offer our full support to you in your struggle to save jobs, and to defend education. Colleagues in colleges around the country will be watching closely, and wishing you all the best. In Solidarity, Philip Magee UCU Branch Secretary Finsbury Park Branch City and Islington College

Solidarity From University of Derby UCU

Dear Chesterfield College UCU, We at the University of Derby UCU would like to express our support and solidarity to you in your courageous efforts to defend your members from compulsory redundancy. We are extremely concerned about changes to the provision of post-16 education in the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire area and we urge your employers to listen to members of staff and students. In solidarity, University of Derby UCU

Defend Jobs & Defend Education

UCU Ballot to Defend Jobs & Defend Education @ Chesterfield College:

·        All UCU Members should have had a letter at your home address over the weekend which outlines key aspects of UCU’s campaign to stop compulsory redundancies at the College.

·        UCU’s industrial action ballot opens on Wednesday of this week and the ballot only remains open for 1 week. You will receive your ballot paper in the post. It is very important then that you vote and return your ballot paper immediately. UCU are strongly urging that you vote YES in the ballot.

·        UCU has produced a petition (see attachment), this has already been signed by hundreds of students and members of the public. The petition is also available to sign online. Please sign and encourage other to dos so. To sign the petition  go to Stop the redundancies at Chesterfield College

·        One to one meetings are still taking place for staff in “at risk” pools. If you have not already arranged for a UCU Representative to accompany you contact:  Sam Parker, Paula Alsop, Allister Mactaggart or James Eaden ASAP.

·        There is a UCU branch committee meeting at 12.00 on Tuesday in Room S600. This is an open meeting, so please come along if you are able to help with the very important campaigning work we need to do over the next week.

UCU Rep at Sheffield College

Dear Colleagues,

best wishes for your battle during these trying times.

Ken williams (UCU Rep at Sheffield College)

UCU Regional Secretary Yorkshire and Humberside

To Chesterfield College UCU Branch

Dear Colleagues

Solidarity and best wishes from Yorkshire and Humberside Region.  The email about your dispute has been forwarded to all branch secretaries and regional committee members in Yorkshire and Humberside.  Please keep us informed of developments in your dispute.  It is vital that further education provision is preserved for the people of Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.

Elizabeth Lawrence

UCU Regional Secretary Yorkshire and Humberside

Defending YOUR Education

 Defending Jobs – Defending Education @ Chesterfield College.

Lecturers at Chesterfield College are campaigning to stop teaching staff being sacked at the College. We strongly believe that the education we provide to our students is at risk.

What’s the background to our campaign?

Over the last 2 years the college has tried to make lecturers redundant at the College. Over 70 lecturer jobs have already gone by “voluntary redundancy”. This year they plan 40 more compulsory redundancies for lecturing staff. That means fewer trained lecturers to teach and support students and larger class sizes. This leads to less time for staff to give students the individual support they need.

Are the redundancies necessary?

We don’t believe so. It is true that the government is squeezing the funding given to colleges. But Chesterfield College is not in a financial crisis. The college has over £12 million in the bank, and have chosen to spend money on prestige projects like the new reception area and the proposed Queens Park Annexe. New facilities in College are great - but not at the expense of teaching posts and class sizes which directly affect learning.

Will the proposed changes affect students’ education?

Lecturers are dedicated professionals who are committed to education, we will always try to deliver the highest quality to our students whatever the circumstances. However the College’s own predictions about the impact of some of the changes they are proposing states that the changes could “compromise success rates” and put remaining staff  “under significant workload strain”.

Will lecturers be taking strike action?

UCU, the lecturers union, is balloting its members on possible strike action. But we are continuing to talk to the college urging them to withdraw  compulsory redundancies.

What you can do to support us.

·      Sign the UCU petition against job cuts @ Chesterfield College

·      Visit our online campaign blog at http://chesterfieldcollegeucu.blogspot.co.uk/

·      If lecturers do have to resort to industrial action to defend further education in Chesterfield, show your support for our campaign.

Sheffield City College

Hello I've just received the worrying news about potential compulsory redundancies at Chesterfield College and want to wish you well in your struggle to defend jobs. Please let me know if there's anything we can do at Sheffield City College to support you. Best wishes Chris Allen Branch Secretary

Defend Jobs Defend Education @ Chesterfield College.

Defend Jobs Defend Education @ Chesterfield College. 70 Jobs under threat. Lecturers prepare to take action to defend education provision. Lecturers at Chesterfield College, members of the University & College Union (UCU) are preparing to ballot for possible strike action over the College management's plans to impose up to 70 compulsory redundancies at the College.  This is the third year in a row that lecturers and other staff at the college have faced the threat of redundancy. If the redundancies are pushed through over 100 teaching staff will have lost their jobs at the college over the last three years. UCU members at the college need your support in this important campaign to defend Further Education in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. What you can do: Sign the petition now! You can do this online by following the link.https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/principal-and-governors-of-chesterfield-college-withdraw-the-threat-of-70-compulsory-redundancies-at-the-college-3?utm_campaign=share_button_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition Download and circulate a copy of the paper version petition (completed copies can be returned to J Eaden, UCU, Chesterfield College, Infirmary Road, Chesterfield S417NG): Send a message of support to lecturers at the college: parkersl@chesterfield.ac.uk Circulate this email to all your contacts.

Stop The Sacking at Chesterfield College

Stop The Sackings @ Chesterfield College

Defend Jobs - Defend Education

Solidarity

Chesterfield members 

I am writing from Sunderland College branch where we have faced 5 consecutive years of redundancies, re-modelling and general attacks to our terms and conditions.  In our case, we were told the cuts last year were a necessity because of funding cuts so we reluctantly (after strike action and an improved offer) agreed to them.  We recently found out that the College made over £2 million pounds profit and that the cuts, in fact, were not necessary.

Sunderland Branch are disgusted that your management are cutting lecturing posts at a time when 16-19 funding is increasing, particularly as there have already been cuts over the last 2 years.  We have a difficult job to do and cynical attacks like this do nothing for staff morale – which is key to a successful organisation.  Good luck with your battle and if there is anything we can do to support you, please let me know.

Yours in solidarity

Cath Hepburn

Branch Vice-Chair, Sunderland College

NEC and FEC member – Northern Region

Vote Yes

Your union has called for industrial action as a result of Chesterfield Colleges proposed redundancies and restructure proposals.

You will shortly be receiving your ballot paper.

We strongly urge you to Vote Yes in this ballot

 

UCU Northumberland College

UCU colleagues at Northumberland College send a message of support to your staff who are undergoing these harsh and unnecessary attacks on their jobs.  Stay strong and solid! If we can offer any help please let us know.

Yours in solidarity.

Mavis Taggert
Northumberland College

New College Nottingham

Hello

Message of support from New College Nottingham.

This is going on all over the country and it's important we try to fight back at a national level.  If there's anything we (or I) can do to help please let us know.  I'm happy to come along to a branch meeting if you like.

Alan

Chair of Yorks and Humber Retired Members Branch

To Branch members

Congratulations to you all for your response to another management assault.

Your fight is every UCU member's fight.

Fraternally

Paul Russell

UCU Trustee, and Chair of Yorks and Humber Retired Members Branch

Eastern and Home Counties Retired Members' UCU

Eastern and Home Counties Retired Members' branch of UCU commend you for the action you are taking and wish you well in your efforts to overturn the threats of redundancies.

The Chair and I were at Cambridge and districts Trades Council meeting and the position you are in was read out, and the Union members there were asked to send you a message of support, I hope they do so.

Good luck

Grace Everson

Secretary

Retired Members Branch

All the best from the Southern Counties' Retired Members Branch. KM

Support - SHU

On behalf of the branch committee at Sheffield Hallam I’d like to express our support for you in your struggle to protect jobs. As our near neighbours we are specially keen that opportunities for students to take part in the range of courses that you have been offering are maintained – and we wish you well in your proposed ballot for action. Mike Henderson (Branch Secretary at SHU)

UCU officially in dispute with Chesterfield College Management.

Dear Colleagues, Following UCU Branch Meeting today  – Thursday 9th May 2013. UCU members were updated by Anne O Sullivan UCU Regional Official and UCU Branch Officers. It is with disappointment that despite further discussions with management this week: ·        College Management have not withdrawn the threat of compulsory redundancy to staff across the college. ·        College Management have refused to withdraw implementation of option 4, within the Curriculum Restructure Report – Despite the impact they have identified that this would have on remaining staff and learners. UCU branch members overwhelmingly voted to open a ballot for industrial action. UCU are now officially in dispute with Chesterfield College Management.  Further information will be forwarded and we will keep you informed of developments. Please speak to a Branch Officer  if you require any further information or assistance.