College lecturers to take industrial action to defend educational quality and professional standards

Members of UCU at Coleg Menai, in Bangor, are opposing a unilateral decision by the college management to increase class sizes and cut the amount of time students spend with teaching staff.

Over the last two years the number of 'guided learning hours' provided for some course modules has been reduced from 72 to 51 hours. Student group sizes have grown from a norm of 15 students to 18 and the college has now imposed a new norm of 24 students.

Lecturers believe this trend will damage the quality of education students receive. After the college refused to address the issue, UCU declared an official dispute with the college management and conducted a ballot on industrial action.

On 22 August the ballot result revealed that 71% of lecturers who returned their ballot papers had voted in favour of industrial action.

UCU members will be take action short of a strike, commencing on 8 September. Their initial action will be refuse to input data into the college computer systems.

Ken Hughes, branch chair at Coleg Menai, said: 'The college management refuses to acknowledge the adverse effect that large class sizes and cuts in teaching contact time has on students.

'Members of UCU have decided to make a stand to defend and promote a fair deal for our students who can be assured that throughout this industrial action UCU members will remain committed to providing the best possible education for all students.

'The result of this ballot clearly demonstrates the growing anger and frustration of lecturers.

'UCU has tried hard to reach an agreement on this extremely worrying issue and remains committed to finding a settlement.'

UCU Wales Support Official, Phil Markham, said: "We have to congratulate our members at Coleg Menai for their strength of commitment to the profession and to the quality of education for the learners at Coleg Menai. Let us now hope that the management at the college will see sense and stop this dispute escalating into a protracted and bitter battle.'

Industrial action will commence on Monday 8 September if no agreement can be reached.