There is considerable anger at the City of Liverpool College following the sacking of Nina Doran, a local UCU union rep. The whole labour movement must demand her reinstatement.
Nina Doran, a lecturer at the City of Liverpool College, has been sacked by her employer. A teacher at the college for 30 years, Nina was also the secretary of the liaison committee, and a union rep with the local branch of the University and College Union (UCU).
Nina is now the fourth UCU rep to be dismissed by the college in the last eight years. This is a clear-cut pattern of trade union victimisation by college bosses.
Victimised
In response to her sacking, UCU members organised lunchtime protests at all five sites of the college in the week following Nina’s dismissal. Socialist Appeal supporters in Liverpool went along and spoke to Nina.
“Last September I was supporting a member researching potential breaches of policy and procedures when I was suspended,” Nina told us. “This was also one week before we took six days of strike action over pay.”
The timing of the suspension is therefore unlikely to be a coincidence. It is a tried and tested method by employers to remove reps ahead of disputes.
We are all shocked to discover that @DoranNina, our branch Liaison Chair, has become just the latest in a string of dismissals of prominent @ucu reps by CoLC. Nina has been dismissed for engaging in legitimate trade union activity, another clear case of trade victimisation……
— UCU CoLC – Fighting for Better; For All (@UCUCoLC) March 6, 2022
“I believe I was targeted because I am an effective representative of the teachers in the college,” Nina stated. She has been a steward for 15 years, and she took the lead in the negotiations over pay and organising the strike.
Solidarity
The UCU were also joined in solidarity by local Unison members. Mike Hogan, a local Unison shop steward and Socialist Appeal activist, spoke at one of these protests.
“Nina is not only a very effective organiser and rep for UCU,” Mike noted, “she has always worked in solidarity with Unison, supporting our issues as well as working together in our common interests.”
Thanks for coming out to see me today comrades from UCU Duke St branch, Unison CoLC and Uni of Liv UCU ? #UCU NW #ucujanetfarrar https://t.co/zZVZhlIc5G
— nina doran (@DoranNina) March 8, 2022
Last week, a motion of support was passed at the City of Liverpool Unison AGM, showing the strength of support from workers locally.
A petition is also circulating in the college to build support for Nina. And a joint mass meeting has been organised for 4 April to bring together unions and activists locally.
At a national level, the Further Education Committee of UCU has unanimously voted to support Nina. The issue is also on the agenda of the regional and National Executive Committee.
Vicky Blake, President of the UCU, has also spoken out: “UCU stands in full support of Nina Doran, a hardworking rep who is now facing dismissal proceedings from her post at City of Liverpool College.”
Mobilisation
UCU members in the college are balloting over further strike action to pursue their pay claim. But more action may be needed in order to win Nina’s reinstatement.
Victimisation of trade union activists is a growing issue for our movement. Nina’s case joins that of Unison President and Kirklees Unison branch secretary Paul Holmes, and Coventry Unite shop steward and striking refuse worker Pete Randle.
The employers’ strategy is clear: target leading activists in the hope that others will be cowered and accept the bosses’ demands.
We need to make sure that this strategy fails. The whole labour movement must condemn this victimisation and demand Nina’s immediate reinstatement.
The UCU national leadership should put the employers on notice: reinstate Nina Doran, or face industrial action as a consequence.
Given the rising tide of class struggle sweeping Britain at the moment, the bosses are clearly getting scared. As a result, they will resort to harsher methods to repress workers moving into action: victimising reps, smearing activists, or dragging them through the capitalist courts.
We cannot get complacent. There cannot be an inch given to the bosses when they come after union reps. The full weight of the UCU and wider movement must be prepared to mobilise in response. An injury to one is an injury to all.
Readers can send letters of protest to:
The Principal and the Board of the College c/o
City of Liverpool College
Roscoe Street
Liverpool L1 9DW
Email: christine.lenderyou@liv-coll.ac.uk
