NATFHE votes to ballot on pensions strike

ON 11 FEBRUARY the national executive council of NATFHE decided with
only one vote against to ballot members for strike action on 14 April,
in opposition to the government’s attack on pensions.

Ken Smith

In proposing the successful motion, vice-president John Wilkin
explained that for new lecturers starting in further and higher
education from next year, they would have to work until 65 or, if they
accessed their pensions at 60, they would have a 23% cut on current
pension rates.

Similarly for lecturers currently in post aged under 52, the ‘choice’
is between working up to 65 or a 10% cut!

The successful notion was seconded by Andrew Price, Welsh
representative for further education and a Socialist Party member.
Andrew regretted that NATFHE could not join PCS and UNISON in strike
action on 23 March, as most NATFHE members will be on Easter holiday on
that date.

However, a successful ballot result should be used by the leadership
of NATFHE to persuade other education unions, notably the NUT and AUT
members in post-1992 universities to join the action.

NATFHE is the first education union to attempt to mobilise its
members to take strike action against the vicious attacks being made by
this government on public sector workers’ pensions.

If the education unions do not fight, then it is inevitable that the
same threat of ending final salary pension schemes that has hit civil
servants, NHS and local government workers will come to the teacher’s
pension scheme. The mobilisation of 70,000 teaching staff in further
education colleges and post-1992 universities on 14 April can teach this
government a lesson it richly deserves.

  • Lecturers at 75 further education colleges have voted
    overwhelmingly for a one-day strike over pay. Over 75% voted to
    strike because their colleges have refused to implement the last
    national pay deal in full. Most of the lecturers will strike on 24
    February but some will strike on 1 March because of half-term
    holidays.

This could be the beginning of an escalating programme of action as
lecturers fight to gain pay parity with school teachers.