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College protests as Assembly warned to act now to avoid 'meltdown'

25 March 2009

Staff will be protesting at Welsh further education colleges on 25 March over budget cuts that they warn will seriously hamper the recovery of the Welsh economy.

Education trade unions said they fear that job losses at one college could represent the thin end of the wedge and warned Assembly Members to act now to avoid a meltdown in the sector.
 
Swansea College, Coleg Sir Gar and Gorseinon College will all be hit by protests from members of UCU, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), Association of College Managers (ACM) and Unison (see below for details).
 
The protestors are warning that failure to reverse recent cuts to the further education budget will lead to even more job losses at a time when local colleges are needed to help retrain people seeking to get back into work. Coleg Sir Gar, for example, has already announced its intention to axe 89 jobs.
 
Margaret Phelan, Regional Official for UCU Cymru said: 'Assembly Ministers have to act quickly to avoid a serious meltdown in the further education sector in Wales. If these cuts are not reversed then further redundancies seem likely and it will be impossible for our colleges to deliver the education and training we so desperately need in these tough economic times.
 
'Ministers have a short window in which to act. The proposals at Coleg Sir Gar must be taken as an early warning of what could be to come in the rest of Wales. This could be just the thin end of the wedge.'
 
Dr Philip Dixon, Director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: 'These cuts will devastate education and training provision in some of Wales' poorest communities, and slam the door firmly shut in the faces of those who benefit from access courses and skills updating.  Government mentions of ProAct and ReAct just distract in this debate – Ministers have got to think again before they do irreparable damage to FE in Wales.'
 
Brian Thornton, Wales officer for the Association of College Management said: 'Cuts at this time will lead to cuts in courses and this will affect people who are seeking retraining opportunities. It will also impede the good work that is being done by the colleges in ensuring that students, from the age of 14, have access to high quality vocational training.'
 
Eddie Gabrielsen, UNISON Cymru/Wales Organiser with responsibility for the Wales FE sector said: 'The Welsh Assembly Government are going totally in the wrong direction. If Wales is to take advantage of the upturn when it comes these FE cuts must be reversed.'

Protests

  • Coleg Sir Gar
    11am – 12pm (at the five sites below):
    Graig Campus, Sandy Road, Pwll, Llanelli, SA15 4DN
    Jobs Well Campus, Jobs Well Road, Carmarthen, SA31 3HY
    Pibwrlwyd Campus, Pibwrlwyd, Carmarthen, SA31 2NH
    Ammanford Campus, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, SA18 3TA
    Gelli Aur Campus, Llandeillo, Carmarthenshire, SA32 8NJ
  • Swansea College
    Tycoch Road, Swansea
    12 – 1pm
  • Gorseinon College
    Belgrave Road, Gorseinon
    1.45pm
Last updated: 11 December 2015

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