Lecturers to walk out of classes tomorrow in dispute

HUNDREDS OF college lecturers will walk out of classes tomorrow over plans to cut jobs and courses at a Yorkshire college.

University and College Union members at the Hull College Group will be on the picket lines from 7am in Hull and Harrogate, in the first of three planned oneday strikes this month.

Striking staff at the Cannon Street and Queens Gardens sites in Hull will run a programme of “teach-outs”, with activities ranging “plumbing – how to fix a leaky tap” to “Marxism for beginners”.

The row centres on plans to cut 231 full-time equivalent posts across the college group’s three campuses including Goole.

UCU, whose members backed a motion last month for chief executive Michelle Swithenbank’s resignation, said the proposals would lead to about a third of the workforce being cut and fewer learning opportunities for local people.

UCU regional official Julie Kelley said: “Strike action is always a last resort, but staff at the Hull College Group feel they have been left with no alternative in order to defend jobs and educational opportunities.”

Hull College Group said the industrial action had forced it to postpone a major recruitment event which should have been held today.

It said the strike would not resolve the group’s financial and operational issues, adding: “We urge our union colleagues to work productively with us through this process and avoid the inevitable disruption the result of this ballot will cause for our current students and ability to recruit new ones.”

Further strikes will take place on May 17 and May 18.