City of Sunderland College take strike action on pensions, while concerns still exist about proposed changes to pay and conditions

UCU members at City of Sunderland College had pickets at their five main centres today to show their support for the national strike action called by the UCU National Executive Committee, as part of the continued fight about government imposed pension changes.

At the Bede Campus, pickets were joined by UCU's National Head of Further Education, Barry Lovejoy.  Visitors to the picket lines to show their support also included representatives from Sunderland University UCU, Sunderland Against the Cuts (http://sunderlandagainstthecuts.co.uk/) and a Unite health worker who was also on strike.  Jon Bryan and other staff from the UCU Regional Office were also on the picket line to show their support.

The picket line gave the opportunity for UCU representatives and members to discuss the attack on pay and conditions that they are seeing locally.  Barry Lovejoy listened attentively to pickets and heard how the College's proposals would drastically impact on members living standards, as well as the quality of education that they provide.  Pickets then went to the Rally in Newcastle to join with PCS and others taking action on pensions, where Cath Hepburn (Vice-Chair of Sunderland College UCU) gave an inspirational address.

Pickets at Bede Campus, City of Sunderland College, May 10

UCU's Barry Lovejoy, listening to the concerns of members

The College proposals to downgrade lecturers were a hot topic of conversation on the picket line

For more on the UCU strike on pensions in Sunderland, go to:
http://www.sun-fm.com/news/local/676418/sunderland-staff-join-national-strike/
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/education/sunderland-workers-take-to-the-picket-lines-in-anger-at-government-1-4532187
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/09/public-sector-workers-strike-cuts
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/education/university-lecturers-walk-out-on-strike-1-4527988
http://www.citysun.ac.uk/2012/05/strike-action-2/

For details and media coverage about the attack on pay and conditions at City of Sunderland College, go to:
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6072&from=1676
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-17895224
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/education/latest-news-college-staff-to-vote-on-pay-strike-1-4500359
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/education/lecturers-pay-strike-vote-comes-after-slap-in-the-face-over-improved-results-1-4502267
http://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/update/2012-04-30/strike-ballot-over-salary-cuts/
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=28414
http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/716/14454/02-05-2012/workplace-news-in-brief
http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2012/05/01/sunderland-college-strike-ballot-greenwich-libraries-strike-new-nuj-chapel-wapping
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/may2012/wkrs-m04.shtml
http://feweek.co.uk/2012/04/27/college-redundancies-and-restructures/

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