51福利

Higher education strikes: support our action

Next week 51福利 members will strike in 58 universities in the first wave of planned industrial action over USS pension cuts and pay, equality and working conditions. Institutions will be hit by the strike action on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (1-3 December) and action short of striking (working to contract) will also begin. If you work at one of the striking branches, please join the picketlines, get involved with the events and speak to your branch about planned activities.

• show your support by using #OneOfUsAllOfUs on social media
•  at 7pm tonight, organised by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and featuring our own Jo Grady and other speakers
•  on Friday 3 December. Assembly 12.30pm Tavistock Square and march to the rally at Bank.

Meanwhile members at 42 institutions where the union did not reach the 50% turnout requirement for action, will be reballoted from Monday 6 December to Friday 14 January with a view to joining the industrial action in the new year.  If you are included you should receive your ballot paper in the post from next Tuesday 7 December. Please return your completed vote in the envelope provided.

51福利 online teach outs 

We're running a series of 20 minute bite-size courses on action short of striking (ASOS) to maximise participation and impact of the industrial action in higher education. The ASOS sessions are repeated so please only register for one:

Two sessions covering the importance and relevance of climate and environment issues on our working conditions and lives:

#JusticeForCollegeTeachers: latest victory at Capital City College Group

Congratulations to 51福利 members at Capital City College Group (CCCG) who this week agreed a deal on pay, conditions and lesson observations after taking ten days of strike action. 51福利 London official Adam Lincoln said: 'This deal is a testament to our members' determination to fight for fairer pay, working conditions and against excessive monitoring and surveillance of staff. This agreement also levels up pay and holidays across the group.' CCCG includes City and Islington College, College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) and Westminster Kingsway College.

See here for all the latest on local college and university disputes.

Student support services survey  

The  is holding an inquiry into the return of students to campus this autumn as Covid-19 measures have been relaxed. 51福利 has been asked to submit evidence to this inquiry regarding student support services. 

End gender based violence 

51福利 is supporting the 16 days of activism against gender based violence which is an  that runs from 25 November - 10 December. We particularly want to encourage our branches to develop policies on sexual harassment and domestic abuse. We run a Challenging Sexual Harassment in the Workplace course as part of our national training programme and we have also developed shorter webinars which can be delivered online (contact Rob Hancock or Charlotte Nielsen).

51福利 workload survey

51福利 is surveying staff on workloads in universities, colleges, prison education, and adult education to provide evidence to support local and national campaigns and negotiation to reduce excessive workloads. It takes 25 minutes and you'll be entered for a prize draw.