Please see below a message from London Region:
Defend our pensions:
28th March NUT/UCU London wide strike
Dear colleagues,
While many members will be disappointed that the strike action on 28th March is not to be nationwide, the campaign to defend our pensions continues. The NUT and UCU are calling on their London members to take strike action as part of a coordinated series of rolling regional and national action.
Both unions have consulted members and have had resounding votes to escalate the action to stop the government making us pay more, get less and work longer.
Although the last strikes we took part in pushed the government to make some minor concessions, members in both unions have voted, in even in greater numbers, to reject the government’s ‘final offer’.
The government’s budget on Wednesday announced tax cuts for the rich funded through more attacks on pensioners, £10bn attack on welfare and cuts to child benefits. Further attacks on our pay were also announced by breaking up national bargaining and implementing regional pay structures.
All of us in TPS and the other public sector pensions will start to be deducted the increased pension contribution rates from April 1st.
The action on the 28th March will be an important signal to the government that we remain determined to protect our own livelihoods and those of future generations.
Both unions are calling on members nationally to directly support London colleagues through twinning arrangements with London colleges, universities and schools to organise both moral and financial support.
For example, members in branches outside London could raise a solidarity collection and contact the branch officers in a London FE college or post-92 university, plus organise a lunchtime protest on 28th, send solidarity messages by text, send a video message of collective support, send a photo of a giant card of solidarity messages, and so on.
The solidarity collection could also be used to send a delegate or two with the branch banner to the London demonstration on 28th.
In London on the M28, after picketing in the morning, a demonstration will assemble at 11am in Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY and march to Westminster. This will include delegations from across the country who will also be attending to show their support.
The next phase of the action will be outlined during the Easter break when the general secretaries from the different unions will meet to discuss the next steps in the campaign.
This government is a nasty one but it is also divided and weak. Our campaign to defend our pensions is making a difference. March 28th is the next step in securing all our futures.
Sean Vernell NEC sean.vernell@yahoo.co.uk 07951803776
Mark Cambell NEC mark.campbell_home@btopenworld.com 07766075744
Jim Wolfreys NEC jim.wolfreys@hotmail.co.uk 07787570328
David Armstrong NEC da114@hotmail.co.uk 07761763285
Richard McEwan NEC richmcewan@hotmail.com 07532364638
Alison Lord NEC lallylord@hotmail.com 07805819605
Cliff Snaith London Region Secretary csnaithster@googlemail.com
Geoff Carter London Region Chair Geoffrey.carter@barkingdagenhamcollege.ac.uk
Jenny Sutton London Region FE Chair jennymsutton@yahoo.co.uk
Mandy Brown London Region FE Secretary mandybrowncow@hotmail.com
Joel Dunn London Region HE Chair suckmasterburstingfoam@hotmail.com
Sean Wallis London Reg chair s.wallis@ucl.ac.uk