There is a whole raft of action taking place across the country today, here are just some of the activities organised by students’ unions, trade unions and students.
NUS vice president FE, Shane Chowen, is due to appear on the One Show tonight (Monday 13 December) on BBC One from 7pm.
update: Cambridge Regional College had a lunchtime stall in the college mall organised by UCU/Student Services/NUS and collected 309 signatures with others pledged to sign online.
Canterbury College students are planning a mass petitioning of the whole college. They will also be sporting save EMA branded Christmas decorations this week.
Basingstoke College of Technology & Queen Mary College are holding an is education history event. Held at a local museum, the event will speak to and petition members of the public, along with a lecture on how education shaped Basingstoke.
Bilborough Sixth Form College, Nottingham have organised joint union action
Blackpool and The Fylde College has booked out the college library for the day to use as base for mass petitioning activity.
Bradford College has organised a day of action. The students’ union president appeared on BBC Radio Leeds this morning, there will be a lunchtime protest and a petition.
City of Bristol College are going to have a protest at lunchtime.
Brookhouse College Hackney have organised a lunchtime protest, which London Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone will be attending.
City and Islington College will be on local radio throughout the day talking about the impacts of cuts on further education.
City College Norwich are having a #saveEMA themed Christmas party.
Colchester Institute students will be writing to their local MP, Bob Russell.
Cornwall College students will be signing up by recording what they use EMA for and “EMA helps me to be…” by linking it with career aspirations.
Doncaster College students will be canvassing and petitioning at both their major sites.
update: Dudley College had a fantastic rally with 200 plus students and staff attending. Guest speakers included Kim Hughes the students’ union president, a regional NUS staff member, Ian Austin MP and Karl Mansell Green – UNISON West Midlands organising team.
Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College students have sent at least 200 letters to their MP, a very active day is expected with debates at all their campuses discussing EMA issues and question time with their principal.
Petition signing at East Riding College
update: East Riding College had a petition-signing stall
Gateshead College has invited local MP Ian Mearns to speak to students, there will also be a petition.
Greenwich will be holding a small demo alongside their UCU. They have plans to have a meeting with their local MP Teresa Pierce on the day.
Save EMA demo at Isle of Wight College
update: Isle of Wight College held a demo
Lambeth will welcome Andy Burnham MP as well as running a series of workshops educating their students on cuts in general and then having a peaceful protest outside the college.
The Oldham College students will be taking part in handprint activity in the social space to symbolise what EMA (and ALG) helps students with in their everyday lives.
Richmond-Upon-Thames College will be holding a lunchtime protest, which will march from the college to Vince Cable’s constituency office in Lion Road to deliver a letter of protest about the abolition of the EMA.
Shrewsbury College – the principal has written to all staff and students asking them to support the anti–EMA cuts campaign – he has also been on local radio, together with student reps. The UCU branch has arranged lunchtime meeting for staff and students to further awareness of the campaign and to help coordinate objections to these cuts.
South Downs College is mass petitioning students
Strode College are holding a RIP EMA event. The students’ union and Universities and College Union are holding a joint musical event with students coordinating a mass letter writing and petition signing campaign.
Tresham College are having a demo at lunch time and mass petitioning students.
update: Worcester College of Technology UCU are supporting a meeting the Student Union have arranged with the local MP, Robin Walker, over the education cuts. They also forwarded the following note: ‘Members might also wish to remember that in May 2010, at the General Election hustings here at WCT, all candidates were asked their stance on EMA. Robin Walker stated categorically that he supported EMA and pledged himself to defend it. Someone might ask him to justify his u-turn on this issue. If he claims that it was not until the coalition government took power that they became aware of the true nature of the public finances (justifying the Lib Dem change of policy on fees) it might also be pointed out that consultations between civil servants and potentially incoming governments always take place before a General Election and that the Conservatives (and their candidates) would have been under no illusions as to the state of the budget deficit. Their election statements should have been suitably informed.’
