Lecturers at Coleg y Cymoedd have taken to picket lines today in a strike over working conditions.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) balloted for industrial action to “end excessive workloads and to protect learners’ education”.
Coleg y Cymoedd has expressed disappointment with the strike and said that UCU had urged its members to adopt the national common contract after negotiating it.
Picket lines have been set up at the college’s four campuses in Ystrad Mynach, Nantgarw, Aberdare and Rhondda.
The union said the action was voted for by lecturers after it carried out a Health and Safety Executive stress survey last year which cited unachievable deadlines, long working hours, a lack of support from management and a lack of consultation over changes at work.
UCU said its members’ most urgent concern was ever-increasing workloads, over and above normal teaching, marking and preparation. Negotiations with management to balance workload had failed, it added.
Vice Chair Kevin Dickens, UCU Coleg y Cymoedd, said: “No lecturer wants to take industrial action however, management must understand that the working conditions of lecturers are the learning conditions of students.
“Even at this late stage, UCU Coleg y Cymoedd hopes that college management will recognise the damaging effect that not being able to manage workload effectively, has on both staff and students, and shift from its current intransigent position. We must campaign to deliver quality education for our learners.”
Judith Evans, principal of Coleg y Cymoedd, said: “We can assure all learners and their families that all steps have been taken to ensure educational provisions at Coleg y Cymoedd remain unaffected by the planned action.
“While the college fully appreciates University and College Union members’ rights to take industrial action, we must express our disappointment with their choice to strike. The UCU’s own representatives played a key role in the negotiation of this national common contract, which applies to all staff employed in further education colleges in Wales, before encouraging its members to vote to adopt it.
“Like all colleges in Wales, our goal is to provide the highest educational standards, despite national restrictions on further education funding. Nevertheless, we believe that our interpretation of the common contract is more than fair. We welcome any discussions to resolve this issue and allow us to focus on our shared goal to provide the highest educational standards to our learners.”
In a joint statement from Caerphilly AM Hefin David AM, Pontypridd AM Mick Antoniw, and Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells, the trio said they were proud of the role that Coleg y Cymoedd had played in communities and were encouraged by the “ambitious agenda the organisation has for the future”.
However they added: “We’re concerned however at the level of unrest amongst staff over workload issues. Thursday’s planned strike follows a 78% vote in favour of industrial action. We urge senior management to negotiate with the Trade Unions to work out a way forward.”
Excessive work load? These lecture want to try being part of public services or or in thr armed forces, they will know what an excessive work load is then. Marking a few papers is hardly hard work. As retired farmer i have always been a manual worker. I also know about excessive work loads. Everybody is under pressure at the moment. Its time these lecture woke up and smell the coffee