Staff strike at Manchester College in row over contracts
29 June 2010
Members of UCU at Manchester College will be on strike tomorrow in a row over terms and conditions.
Staff will be on picket lines from 7.30am at the college's Openshaw campus off Ashton Road. The protests will then move to the institution's Shena Simon campus at 11.00am. At 12 noon there will be a rally at the Mechanics Institute on Major Street where there will be speeches by staff and students, including UCU president Alan Whitaker.
The row centres on the college's attempts to impose different contracts for staff teaching adults and those teaching 14-19-year-olds. The union says that, as well as being fundamentally unfair, the plans are unworkable as lots of staff teach both adults and 14-19-year-olds. Many staff could be placed on either contract, which could lead to a spate of potential discrimination claims.
The union believes the contract changes will impact massively on Manchester College's students as well as its staff. The inferior contracts for staff working with adults demand extra hours but with less annual leave and will see a huge rise in preparation time and extra marking for those staff.
The news of industrial action comes as prison educators employed by the college are also being balloted for strike action and less than a month after Manchester College formally derecognised UCU. UCU today repeated its calls for urgent talks with management and for the involvement of the arbitration service ACAS.
UCU president, Alan Whitaker, who will be speaking at the rally, said: 'UCU members here at Manchester have been left with little option but to take strike action. We are proud that members are taking this action and they have the full backing of the national union. The proposed contracts would lead to a two-tier workforce and leave the college open to potential discrimination and dismissal claims. This is not in the interest of staff or students and it is essential that we resolve this dispute quickly.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The current dispute at Manchester College is in nobody's interests. We have made it quite clear from the very start that we want the whole mess sorted out. We are repeating our calls for the college to talk to us to resolve the issue. We remain confident that a negotiated settlement can be achieved.'
The row centres on the college's attempts to impose different contracts for staff teaching adults and those teaching 14-19-year-olds. The union says that, as well as being fundamentally unfair, the plans are unworkable as lots of staff teach both adults and 14-19-year-olds. Many staff could be placed on either contract, which could lead to a spate of potential discrimination claims.
The union believes the contract changes will impact massively on Manchester College's students as well as its staff. The inferior contracts for staff working with adults demand extra hours but with less annual leave and will see a huge rise in preparation time and extra marking for those staff.
The news of industrial action comes as prison educators employed by the college are also being balloted for strike action and less than a month after Manchester College formally derecognised UCU. UCU today repeated its calls for urgent talks with management and for the involvement of the arbitration service ACAS.
UCU president, Alan Whitaker, who will be speaking at the rally, said: 'UCU members here at Manchester have been left with little option but to take strike action. We are proud that members are taking this action and they have the full backing of the national union. The proposed contracts would lead to a two-tier workforce and leave the college open to potential discrimination and dismissal claims. This is not in the interest of staff or students and it is essential that we resolve this dispute quickly.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The current dispute at Manchester College is in nobody's interests. We have made it quite clear from the very start that we want the whole mess sorted out. We are repeating our calls for the college to talk to us to resolve the issue. We remain confident that a negotiated settlement can be achieved.'
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