Lambeth College strikers return to work


James Ivens, Lambeth Socialist Party

Striking teachers at Lambeth College have returned to work after winning concessions in a dispute over contracts. Three terms of action saw off principal Mark Silverman’s intractable stubbornness, a high court injunction and several senior managers.

Although lecturers’ union UCU conceded in the struggle against a two-tier workplace, many staff will retain old terms and conditions. Action also won limited improvements to new contracts at the south London FE college.

Trade unionists across the country will rightly be delighted that this bitter and drawn-out fight has finally got results. The return on 22 January ended eight months’ discontinuous industrial action, including two periods of all-out strike.

The union has not won every objective picked out at the start of the struggle. In spite of this, UCU members were right to accept this partial deal.

Given the high-risk strategies adopted during the dispute, extending it could have led to outright defeat. Both management and the union have taken knocks, and strikers have done well to push the principal back this far.

Congratulations to all workers at Lambeth College. Without the strike, the whole staff would be on reduced terms and conditions. Activists will now want to regroup, building membership and confidence in preparation for future battles.