Respect FE: rally for Respect and your strike action

As we gear up for next week's major strike action in further education (FE) colleges in England, I wanted to send my solidarity and remind you about Tuesday's mass rally and lobby of Parliament.

I am calling on the whole union to stand in solidarity with you and striking FE workers by joining the rally and I look forward to welcoming you and supporters. After the rally your branch will send a representative to meet with the college's constituency MP in Parliament, explain what we are fighting for and ask for their support. Details are as follows:

• join the mass solidarity Rally for Respect at 12.00 noon, Tuesday 14 November at the Emmanuel Centre, 9-23 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 3DW.
• join our president elect, Maxine Looby and myself live online from a college picket line at 9.00am on Tuesday 14 November
• education workers' right to speak out is under threat from an increasingly authoritarian government and the latest 'culture war' narrative. Join us this evening (Wednesday) at 6.30pm for a live online discussion on recent attacks academic freedom including the escalating UKRI situation and the Prevent agenda in further education: on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

This will be the biggest wave of strike action to hit FE in years and your national union is giving 100% support to this important campaign and your action fighting for decent pay and for respect as education professionals.

See you on the picket line and at the rally.

In solidarity

Jo Grady
UCU general secretary