Lincoln trade unions in limbo over SU help

By Jack Dobson | Published On February 4, 2010 | In Students' Union

Lincoln’s Trade Union Council (TUC) are calling — with no response — on the Students’ Union to back the fight to “defend jobs, pay and services” for lecturers and students alike.

On Thursday, January 28th, Chris Charnley, the SU president, was asked in person by Nick Parker, Lincoln’s TUC president, to join them in their campaign.

The Lincoln TUC is a network umbrella for the unions of Lincoln, which hosts members from a variety of unions including a University and College Union (UCU) member whom is a lecturer at the University of Lincoln.

It works to protect the rights and interests of members, and co-ordinates large scale activities such as protests and mass strike action. They plan on holding a demonstration featuring all TUC member unions as part of their campaign, and “would like to see a member of the SU speak on the students’ behalf.”

“The interests of the SU and the TUC go hand in hand. University staff are facing pay freezing and cuts to university funding on services, which will have a detrimental effect on students’ experience and the quality of their education,” said Parker.

“Students should be ready to support their lecturers in the UCU,” Parker continued, saying that students and lecturers should be targeting the governments cuts, rather than the actions of each other.

Parker also says the TUC fully support abolishing tuition fees and providing a “fair living grant for all”. The Public and Commercial Services union, which Parker is a member of, has “thousands of members saddled with debt” because of the current system.

He said: “I hope that the SU play a full role in the campaign. That they will support and help fully publicise the proposed demo. They can speak on behalf of the thousands of students who have been forced to take low paid, insecure jobs to get through university.”

Charnley was reticent to accept Parker’s offer and said instead that: “We [SU] are looking forward to liasing with those who share our beliefs in preventing education cuts, reducing student debt and ensuring the best for students.”