College teachers across Enfield, Haringey and Islington, where Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriots live heavily, are on strike calling for a pay rise, better working conditions and a resolution to their pension dispute.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) members, including those from 12 colleges in Enfield and Haringey are striking, are in the second week of strike action stating they will continue if a resolution is not found to rows over USS pensions and pay, unsafe workloads, casualisation and equality failings.
The teachers, who had their first round of strikes on September 28th and 29th, also took strike action this week today being the last of their 3-day strike. They have stated if an agreement cannot be reached, the strikes will be continued next week on the 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 October.
UCU, which rejected the 1% raise offer proposed for college teachers who have been given a raise under the inflation rate for the last 10 years, emphasised that the raises that have caused cuts in wages for the last 10 years have increased the wage gap between teachers working in secondary education and college teachers to 9 thousand pounds.
In a statement showing their support, Day-Mer said: “The wage gap between teachers doing the same job is not fair, teachers demand fairness in wages. College teachers also object to the steadily increasing volume of work over the years while the increasing number of students, the administrative work of the teachers is increased while the working hours are reduced. Teachers, who cannot find enough time to prepare for the lessons due to time constraints, are always open to inspection with flexible supervision practices. Teachers who constantly struggle to cope with the anxiety of supervision and increased workload collapse both physically and mentally.
“The struggle of college teachers for a livable and fair wage in England, where poverty is increasing among the workers, is also the struggle for our children to receive a good education. That’s why we salute the striking college teachers and embrace their just struggle.”
