We are writing to you to ask for your support for our colleagues in Further, Adult and Higher Education that will be taking strike action on the 5th May. Eleven colleges and three universities in the London Region, as well as Sussex University, have voted to take strike action to defend jobs and education.

We see strike action as the last resort. However, with universities and colleges facing such unprecedented cuts - as part of the government's attempt to make public sector workers pay for debt accumulated from rescuing the financial sector, we are left with no choice but to resist. Our members feel a deep sense of injustice and rage that it is they, and their students, who are being asked to pick up the tab for the greed of the few. These education cuts mean that as well as over 7,000 of our members jobs disappearing, at least 300,000 needed student places are being denied, depriving another generation of young people of a stable and secure future.

These attacks on our members and our students have been launched before the election. However, our union is painfully aware that they are just the start of the onslaught across the public sector - regardless of who gets elected on May 6th, given that all three major parties have promised swinging cuts to our public services.

We therefore ask you to support our members on May 5th and stand with us in defence of education and all our public services. We will be organising a demonstration and rally in central London starting at 1pm from King's College (Strand Campus). We would welcome the presence of you and your banners. We would also welcome messages of support from your branches, divisions and committees.

Please send messages of support to c.snaith@londonmet.ac.uk and svernell@candi.ac.uk, and forward this letter to your officers, reps and stewards. We, in turn, pledge to do all we can to work with you and other trade unionists to help build the solidarity that will be necessary to defend jobs, services and conditions right across the public sector.

In comradeship and solidarity

Alan Whitaker, President elect, UCU
Geoff Carter, Chair London Region, UCU
Cliff Snaith, Secretary London Region, UCU
Mark Campbell, London Region NEC HE, UCU
Brian Ingham, London Region NEC FE, UCU
Sean Vernell, London Region NEC FE UCU

for more information please visit: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4586