More strikes at College of North West London

UCU members at the Willesden and Wembley campuses of the College of North West London are taking strike action again next week. Staff will walk out on Wednesday (28 June) and Saturday (1 July) in a row over the sacking of their colleague.

The action will hit lessons on Wednesday and disrupt an enrolment day for students looking to start courses in September on Saturday. Staff will be on picket lines outside the main entrances on Denzil Road (Willesden campus) and Wembley Park Road (Wembley) from 9am on Wednesday.

UCU members have already walked out twice in support of mathematics teacher Indro Sen, who was suspended in October 2016 while representing a former colleague at an employment tribunal.

The college says that Sen did not have time off to attend the hearing and that representing his co-worker amounted to gross misconduct. UCU feels that the college is using this as an opportunity to sack Mr Sen for his trade union activities. In the recent industrial action ballot, 83% of UCU members who voted backed strikes.

UCU regional official Una O'Brien said: 'UCU members at the College of North West London do not want to have to take more strike action, but they are clear that they will to defend their sacked colleague.'