MORE THAN 120 people packed into a meeting in Hackney, east London,
on 26 April to put their demands to election candidates. What would they
do to stop the slaughter of jobs and classes at Hackney Community
College (HCC)?
Clare Doyle, Hackney Socialist Party
As explained in last week’s socialist, 60 jobs are under threat as
well as classes for some of the most needy members of society.
Robbie Coburn who works in Basic Education and Training summed up the
reasons why she and her colleagues are now planning more industrial
action in May. She quoted the response of one of her students to an
Ofsted inspector’s question: "What does coming to Hackney College
mean for you?" – "It gives me hope!".
A lecturer from Tower Hamlets, speaking from experience of a struggle
in her college, was adamant that the first response of management must
be to refuse to implement the cuts and to demand the money from central
government. All of the candidates promised ‘help’ but few came anywhere
near to promising full support to a campaign along these lines.
Paul Mackney, the general secretary of the lecturers’ union, NATFHE,
touched a chord when he said the new Secretary of State for education
cannot understand: "The daily miracles that go on in the
classroom". But he was unable to give a real perspective for
winning this struggle and the many others going on in higher and further
education around the country.
The HCC branch officers are linking up with other colleges involved
in action to strengthen their own fight. "We’ll be striking for two
days," James Drummond told us. "We’ll be twinning our dispute
with London Metropolitan University. NATFHE members there are striking
during the week of 17 May over the imposition of new casualised,
inferior contracts."
A student at the meeting pledged her support and that of her
colleagues whenever the lecturers go on strike. UNISON members are also
preparing to be involved in the action.
The effective privatisation of the colleges under Thatcher, continued
under New Labour, has led directly to a worsening of all conditions for
lecturers including wages as well as loss of jobs.
The national union has at last begun to rectify this with a strategy
to set national levels of pay and conditions with the employers’
national forum. Unfortunately, many colleges refused to implement the
terms of the national deal locally. What is needed is for national
action by the union that can raise the confidence of lecturers,
including on the issue of defending jobs such as in Hackney.
Please send messages of support to Maggie Carman, NATFHE, Hackney
Community College, Falkirk St, London N1 6HQ. [email protected]
