Respect FE ballots open today: look out for your papers

Ballot papers are being posted today to thousands of members in 33 UCU branches up and down the country as part of our Respect FE campaign. You should get your papers today or tomorrow-- look out for an envelope marked with CES (Civica Election Services) and the UCU logo, like the one above.

The last couple of years have seen colleges benefit from an increase in 16-19 funding and next year will see a further increase. The sector's finances are starting to recover after a decade of neglect. You have a massive opportunity to take collective action and make sure that money goes to you--the hard working staff who need and deserve it the most.

While you wait for your ballot papers to arrive, don't forget to complete the important survey on the cost of living crisis, pay, and other workplace issues which we circulated last week. You have two days left before it closes on Thursday 16 June.  

We will use the results of the survey to put maximum pressure on employers. The more responses we get, the more your branch and UCU staff can do to advance your interests.

I've been visiting picket lines in striking branches over the past few weeks and I've been so impressed by the commitment, the solidarity, and the level of collective organisation displayed by members. And it is paying off.

A few weeks ago UCU members at Bury College won one of the biggest pay deals in the sector in recent years after balloting for industrial action. Soon after that members at Hopwood Hall followed in their footsteps.

Those victories were possible because those members posted their ballot papers and smashed the 50% legal turnout threshold to take industrial action--so make sure you do the same thing as soon as your papers arrive this week.

In solidarity
Jo Grady
UCU general secretary