London weighting disputes rumble on

The dispute over London weighting in higher education is set to lead to further industrial action on 3 February. This follows an earlier strike on 14 November last year. The unions involved are united in a claim for £4,000 a year for all staff in London's universities.

Meanwhile as Labour Research went to press council unions in London were expecting a new offer on London weighting from employers following the announcement of the provisional local government finance settlement for 2003-04.

The NUT teaching union is balloting its members in the London Borough of Hackney over action in support of NUT rep Indro Sen. The union says that Sen, a rep at Kingsland school, has been sacked following his opposition to privatisation of the local education authority and the planned school closure.