Tuesday 3rd December saw not only workers in Higher Education out on strike, but also members of the unions in Further Education, who have equally seen attacks on pay and conditions over the past period. Darrall Cozens, UCU retired member, reports on the HE and FE strikes in Coventry.
Tuesday 3rd December saw not only workers in Higher Education out on strike, but also members of the unions in Further Education, who have equally seen attacks on pay and conditions over the past period. Darrall Cozens, UCU retired member, reports on the HE and FE strikes in Coventry.
An overcast but not so cold day did not dampen the spirits of the UCU and Unison pickets outside City College, Coventry and Coventry University on December 3rd.
The facts of the dispute are well known. HE (Higher Education) staff have received below inflation pay rises since 2009 so that real wages are now 13% below the 2009 level and yet despite this the pay offer for this year is 1%. In FE (Further Education) the real loss in pay is worse with a 15% fall in real income and a pay offer of 0.7% on the table. Although the dispute is primarily about wages, issues of defending terms and conditions, workloads, stress and planned attacks by the government on national bargaining also come into the equation.
This is the second one-day strike for UCU members in HE and the first for FE members. Picket lines were less well attended than in previous strikes and on the day it was not obvious how many union members had obeyed the strike call, but anecdotal evidence points to areas of both the FE and HE institutions being less busy than usual. At Coventry University some areas of work and study were eerily quiet. The mood of the pickets, in contrast, was lively and up beat. And, perhaps more importantly, was the fact that three unions – UCU, Unison and Unite – had struck together. Both UCU and Unison members were on picket lines.
What was notable at Coventry Uni was the number of students who did cross picket lines stating that as they had to pay enormous tuition fees they wanted to take every opportunity to attend classes. It is clear that a lot of work has to be done with students by campus trade unions on an individual and collective level with lecturers explaining the issues during teaching time and also by working closely with the NUS. The day was only a skirmish in the war to defend wages, jobs, terms and conditions and the provision of education, and the war will be long lasting.
At midday, about 100 UCU members and supporters attended an indoor rally in the Birmingham and Midlands Institute in the centre of Birmingham. UCU Vice President Liz Lawrence came to address the meeting, along with speakers from the NUT and an NUS student from Birmingham University, where students had recently staged an occupation. In fact, news was given that students were occupying parts of universities in different areas of the country.
The writer of this report had the chance to speak to the rally from the floor of the meeting. Greetings were given from UCU retired members who were on picket lines to defend conditions that had been won by those still at the chalk face, but also by those who were now retired. However, it was also pointed out that despite the determination and willingness of trade union members to defend gains that had been made in the past, this dispute will not be won by industrial action alone.
Two facts were given to the rally. At the end of September Chancellor Osborne had stated at the Tory Party conference that austerity policies would continue until 2020 at least or until the budget was in balance. Given that the budget deficit was £170bn in 2008/9 and is expected to be £120bn by the end of this financial year, despite the cuts that have been made and the pain caused by falling living standards, the deficit has only been reduced by £50bn. Far more cuts are therefore on the cards.
Secondly, Cameron stated on November 11th at the London Lord Mayor’s banquet that when the cuts were over whatever the size of the state that remained, that would be the new normality as that would be what the economy could afford.
This warning has to be taken seriously. What we are being told is the parlous state of British capitalism in crisis means that whatever is provided as public services – health, education, social support, benefits, housing and so on – when austerity is over and the cuts have been made, that will be the new level that capitalism can afford to give to the people of these lands.
All the gains of the post war period are therefore under threat and those in our movement who believe that the crisis is temporary, and when it is over we can go back to present levels of public spending, are in fact not facing up to reality. Cuts and austerity will continue as long as capitalism continues, so the fight to defend what we have gained is not only industrial but also political – to put an end to capitalism. This contribution to the rally was very well received.
It will now be time for FE and HE education unions to take stock of what has been achieved and what now needs to be done. It will therefore be time to raise the profiles of the unions in the different institutions; to encourage and involve more union members to get active; to build union density by actively recruiting more members; to set up joint union committees – of UCU, Unison, Unite, NUS – on campus to coordinate future action; and, finally, to raise the political issues of the dispute.
The fundamental issue is why should union members and workers in general suffer massive cuts in living standards to pay for an economic crisis that they did not create, and that the price being paid can only be avoided by a political fight to end capitalism.
