We need an agreed left slate for the UCU NEC elections to win a fighting leadership
Duncan Moore, UCU NEC member, standing for re-election
The University and College Union (UCU) ‘New Deal for FE’ ballot closed on 17 November. 90% voted to strike in the disaggregated ballot.
Further Education (FE) staff pay has fallen by 40% in real terms since 2010. If our pay had kept up with inflation, we could all be working a three-day week now and earn the same money!
Heavier workloads, bigger class sizes and cuts to vital support staff are driving teachers out of the sector. 25% of lecturers quit within a year, and 50% within three.
A united fight across the whole of the FE sector is needed, to show the government that FE staff won’t put up with this and that we are prepared to fight for proper, national bargaining arrangements, and steps towards pay parity with school teachers.
The strike can take place in 32 colleges – an almost identical number as reached the threshold in the last ballot two years ago. UCU reps made herculean efforts to get their branches over the 50% minimum turnout and 40% ‘yes’ vote of all eligible members, still required by law despite the Labour government’s promise to scrap the anti-union thresholds. UCU leaders should authorise branches to conduct re-ballots in order to be able to join action in the new year.
Higher Education workers in four unions are also balloting, with the result due on 28 November. There is therefore the chance of significant and effective post-16 strike action against Starmer’s austerity government.
In May, UCU congress reflected the mood of members, as the FE Special Conference passed several motions calling for a disaggregated ballot to begin at the beginning of term in September.
Delegates argued that this would be the best time, before individual colleges had a chance to put the squeeze on branches to settle their local claim and pull out of the national ballot. Taking action before the ‘Autumn census’, when colleges are enrolling students and funding allocations are yet to be finalised, would maximise pressure on college principals.
But after a consultative ballot with a turnout lower than would be legally required for a statutory ballot, on the advice of the union’s senior officials, the FEC voted narrowly to delay the official strike ballot.
Socialist Party members and our allies on the FEC argued that a serious campaign would overcome this, but the ‘UCU Commons’ faction, the grouping around the general secretary Jo Grady, has a narrow majority on the FEC.
The consequence of this, as we warned at the time, has been that many branches have settled with their college employer and pulled out of the England-wide dispute. Also, the ballot timeframe included the half-term break, losing time when reps could speak to members to get the vote out.
We need a fighting national leadership that matches the determination of reps and members, with a strategy to win better pay, conditions and sectoral bargaining.
Fighting leadership needed
The right on the executive and the grouping around Jo Grady hold back national strike action, claiming that UCU members are not up for a fight. They fail to prepare members, and then hide behind lack of preparation as a reason to delay.
Socialist Party members are arguing for a single left slate of candidates for the NEC elections that will take place in January, including those who have consistently backed escalating and coordinating action in our sector. We are trying to achieve this through discussion with the independent lefts and the ‘UCU Left’ grouping that is led by the Socialist Workers Party.
As a minimum, we are calling on UCU Left not to stand a candidate against myself, a sitting NEC member with a record of campaigning for serious action. Another Socialist Party member, Scott Hunter, also has sufficient nominations to be able to stand as part of an agreed slate. It would be a setback for the union if those who do not have confidence in our members, and who try to pull back from a serious struggle, are strengthened on the executive.
