Tower Hamlets College teachers strike over job cuts

TEACHERS at an East End college joined the picket line today in a row over budget cuts and job losses. Staff at Tower Hamlets College are holding a one-day strike as part of protests being organised across the capital over funding cuts to further educat

TEACHERS at an East End college joined the picket line today in a row over budget cuts and job losses.

Staff at Tower Hamlets College are holding a one-day strike as part of protests being organised across the capital over funding cuts to further education.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) were out in force at the college this morning and at the campus in Arbour Square.

They then joined a 'cyclists' demo' as campaigners made their way through Tower Hamlets, Hackney and onto Kings College London in The Strand for a mass protest at lunchtime.

Tower Hamlets College has confirmed it is facing a �3.1m cut in its funding budget next year and is required to make savings.

This will include 42 full-time equivalent posts being made redundant which accounts for 10 per cent of the workforce.

Teachers are worried about the effects the job cuts will have on students and particularly on adult education.

But Principal Michael Farley insists they are hoping to make voluntary redundancies, there will be no cuts in student places and two thirds of the reductions will be in management and support staff positions.