Scottish FE lecturers face important battle + Peterborough post strike vote

Scottish FE lecturers in the EIS-FELA union are going into dispute over attempts by management to replace teaching with training. This will force lecturers on to instructor and assessor contracts.

At Forth Valley College staff were selected at random and told that their jobs were going and they would need to reapply for the lower grade post.

The new jobs earn thousands of pounds less, have many more classes to teach, and yet the job description is virtually identical.

In an indicative ballot the EIS-FELA college branch has voted by 91 percent on a high turnout for action.

This will be a major fight. It will decide whether FE students receive a proper education, or find themselves warehoused in downgraded institutions to be kept off government jobless statistics.

Donny Gluckstein

Peterborough postal workers vote for strike

Royal Mail postal workers at a delivery office in Peterborough have voted to strike to demand the reinstatement of a sacked workmate.

The members of the CWU union voted by 88 percent to strike after the postal worker—who had no previous disciplinary record—was sacked in July. The union says managers applied Royal Mail’s rules unfairly and unreasonably.

Branch secretary Andy Beeby said, “The ballot result today shows the huge strength of feeling among members that this sacking was unfair and must be reconsidered.

“But if they refuse to budge, these members here have pledged that they will strike.”