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From The Socialist newspaper, 27 November 2019
Sixth-form college strikes: 'Sticking two fingers up at the Tories'
Leicester sixth-form college strike November 2019, photo Tessa Warrington (Click to enlarge)
Tessa Warrington, Leicester Socialist Party
Socialist Party members in Leicester gave support to striking National Education Union members at Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I sixth-form College. It was one of 33 colleges nationally taking strike action on 20 November for fair pay, decent working conditions and employment terms.
The dispute is set against the background of a massive funding crisis facing sixth-form colleges as a result of government cuts amounting to 22% in real terms since 2010.
One striker said: "At this point we have just had enough, we can't not fight. We all want to stick two fingers up at the Tories".
Cars honked support while workers from the neighbouring University of Leicester stopped to chat with the strikers.
Both University and College Union members at the university and fellow college workers in the NASUWT union exclaimed at the lack of coordinated action between their respective union leaderships, especially as the UCU was striking the following week.
One picket felt as if negotiations had come to a standstill with the general election. "There isn't really a functioning government right now so we feel like no one is listening to us".
But like McDonald's, university, railway and Royal Mail workers, who are either planning or taking action, the time to coordinate to apply maximum pressure has never been better. That would really force any incoming government to take workers' demands seriously!
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In The Socialist 27 November 2019:
What we think
Labour's manifesto: fight to transform hope into a socialist society
International socialist news and analysis
Regime's fuel price rise sparks massive protests across Iran
Sri Lanka: Presidential election sees return of dictatorial Rajapaksa clan
News
Tory election campaign's dirty tricks and lies
Resist attacks against free speech on campus
Northern Ireland: strike action by NHS workers
Prince Andrew outrage exposes establishment
Council cuts
End council cuts now, to end Tory austerity!
Workplace news
Uni strike takes fight to bosses
CWU's right to defend members is on the line
South Western Railway strike: "We're up for the fight"
PCS union ballot closes 12 December: Marion Lloyd for general secretary
Sixth-form college strikes: 'Sticking two fingers up at the Tories'
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Trump and Tories are a threat to environment
Brighton anti-academy campaign steps up
Posties withdraw goodwill from cruel bosses
Help fund the fightback: sponsor my marathon
Buy a historical biography for Christmas
Readers' opinion
The private sector will never provide broadband to every home, nationalisation will
Plymouth Blairites side with anti-tenant landlords
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