Community turns out in force for the Halesowen 4

Strike action and Valentine's Day protests at Halesowen College

Members of UCU at Halesowen College will take strike action next Thursday (Valentine's Day) as part of their increasingly bitter dispute over the sacking of four maths lecturers.

Despite their being no love lost between the college and the union, UCU will use the day to deliver a giant Valentine's Day card with more than 12,000 (at present) signatures calling for the sacked lecturers to be reinstated. The petition and latest number signatures can be found at http://tinyurl.com/Halesowen4

Traditionally, Valentine's Day cards are supposed to be anonymous, but the thousands of people who have signed our card to the college are keen their names are heard in the fight against these unjust sackings.'

The row started with the dismissal of maths lecturer and UCU branch chair Dave Muritu days before Christmas. Since then three other maths lecturers (also active union members) have been sacked and lost their appeals three of them this week.. In last week's strike ballot, three-quarters (75%) of UCU members who voted backed the call for strike action.

Other complaints the union has made about the college's performance include:
groups being pushed together, even though they were supposed to be studying different material
lecturers expected to teach two different classes in two different rooms at the same time
non-specialist staff regularly covering maths sessions
refusal to pay for specialist cover (in spite of a huge surplus) for long-term sickness
failure to provide teaching for students in the run-up to exams

:UCU regional official, Nick Varney,

'Staff at Halesowen will be on strike next week because of the way the college has dismissed staff. It simply cannot treat people like this and use them to mask its own failings.

'At all the appeals the employer did not have enough evidence against the individuals to dismiss them and used students' failure to achieve certain levels of attainment as the basis for sacking them. Not only is this unfair, but it threatens all lecturers' jobs at the college.

'

Halesowen UCU have returned a ballot overwhelmingly calling for strike action and action short of a strike. This will begin with an initial day of strike action on Thursday 14th February. We will be picketing from 7am, with a breakfast meeting planned for 10am at the Wagon and Horses, Stourbridge Road. We have been overwhelmed with messages of support and queries as to how people can get involved: here is a list of ideas:

Love hearts: UCU campaigns have produced a valentine card design which can be used in branches or groups, or you can make your own heart designs (e.g. “*Branch* <3 Halesowen UCU" or "We <3 the Halesowen 4"). You can then take photos of members with these which can be emailed to [email protected], tweeted to @halesowencoll and @halesowenUCU with #lovetheHalesowen4 and shared in the facebook group http://www.facebook.com/groups/justiceforhalesowenfour/

Cookies and cakes: Newman UCU, one of our local sister branches, have come up with the idea of selling cakes. You could make cakes or cookies to sell in branch with UCU and a 4 iced on, possibly heart shapes? (depending on icing skills!)

Stalls: Again an idea from Newman UCU, they will be setting up a stall for their cakes with info about the case (see attached) with a laptop on the petition encouraging people to sign: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/halesowen-college-reinstate-david-muritu-as-a-maths-lecturer-at-the-college

Video: This video can be shown in branch or other meetings to give more information http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6433 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW4BjGPyDjM&feature=player_embedded

Video support messages: We were really grateful to receive a video support message last time, and thought this was something that could be done again, perhaps members holding up the love heart material to give personal messages or a branch message

Collections: Any collections in branch or other donations will be really really gratefully received. Please make donations payable to: Halesowen College UCU Branch
You can use the following to pay electronically:
Sort Code: 08-60-01
Account Number 33024684

Or send cheques (made out to Halesowen College UCU Branch) to:
Justice for Halesowen 4 Campaign.
111 Chichester Drive,
Quinton,
Birmingham.
B32 1BD

Thank you so much!

Lots of love from Halesowen UCU

http://justiceforhalesowenfour.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/strike-action-planned-for-valentines-day-how-to-show-your-love/