Well, here's the latest in the Karen-and-the-Union-versus-the-College saga:- (remember, the College are getting rid of all the A-Level Health & Social Care (H&SC), and the A2 year of A-Level Philosophy. Thus, three quarters of my job is going to be gone.)

I have gone to see my Union rep today (yeh, I did only join the union about three weeks ago, because of all this kerfuffle) and he reckons that we can fight what they're doing to me. This is because the college is not allowed to cut any courses without okaying it with the union first (I didn't know this until today).

Moreover, the reason they are cutting the H&SC A-Level is allegedly because of "numbers".  However, the Principal has said that courses with less than 15 students on it should be axed - but H&SC has 17 on the AS course, whereas some other A-Levels have only 4 or 5 students in A2, but are still running.

So somebody somewhere is breaking their own rules: Either they should axe all the courses with less than 15 students, or none of them.  It is utterly inconsistent to axe a course with 17 students, whilst keeping a course with 4.

Also, because this is my third year at the College (which I shan't name - "for legal reasons"!) and I am still sessional, they should really make me fractional now (i.e. a 0.8 pay if i teach 0.8 of a full timetable). But really, they shouldn't make me fractional, as I am teaching a full timetable. In fact, I'm teaching more hours than some "full time" members of staff are!!

Now I just need to try and get my boss (for H&SC) to admit in writing that she's cutting my course because of numbers. Once she has said that to me in writing, I have them by the short and curlies. And we will take it to the Principal to say why is she axing courses that are making a profit?!

The upshot of it is that it's unlikely that the Union can force the college to run unprofitable courses (the A2 H&SC, and A2 Philosophy, which currently have 3 and 6 students respectively), but they may be able to force the college to still run the AS H&SC.  If the college are running other courses at a loss, then they can't use student numbers as a reason for getting rid of me - so they'll either have to get rid of all those subjects, or none of them.

So there still may be hope of me retaining my job - and getting a proper salary. On the other hand, the college may still be able to get rid of me - but they may well have to pay me compensation / redundancy money.

Watch this space!!