Uncut ema research

BelinaJuggapahMDX 00:16, March 21, 2011 (UTC)

As there are many campaigns out there involved in saving ema as new campaigners we could draw from their ideas.

Save EMA: save ema and trade unions into possible legal challenge.&nbsp http://saveema.co.uk/ - Link to the website.

Legal action could be launched on behalf of students who believe their two-year contracts for study has been breached by the government’s decision to axe the education maintenance allowance (EMA). The Save EMA campaign is receiving advice from trade union lawyers supported by Unison who are examining whether they can win payments for students who began courses in September expecting two years of financial support.

Students sign an EMA contract which commits them to rules on attendance, punctuality and achievement in return for the payments, prompting the claim that the Government may be obliged to fulfil its part of the bargain for around 300,000 students.

There is literature from the YPLA (Young People’s Learning Agency) discovered by Save EMA and Unison which was distributed widely in colleges last year, which clearly guaranteed those students who started courses that year that they could expect funding up to 2013. Both Save EMA and Unison are currently gathering further evidence on paper work.

In addition, according to a YouGov poll last week almost half the British public oppose the government’s plans to abolish the Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA).The poll also showed that a substantial amount of those who voted for both coalition parties at the last election and who intend to vote at coming elections also oppose the abolition of the EMA:
 * 50 % who voted Lib Dem in 2010 oppose abolition of EMA
 * 42% who still intend to vote Lib Dem oppose abolition of EMA
 * 27% who voted Conservative in 2010
 * 25% who still intend to vote Conservative oppose Abolition of EMA

Research by the UCU showing that almost 40% of students wouldn’t have started their course without EMA, so that’s a large amount of people who will feel betrayed by this government.

Last week, Mr Gove was forced to reconsider his Building Schools for the Future (BSF) plans by the High Court earlier this month. The Court ruled his failure to properly consult some local authorties amounted to an “abuse of power”.

"We’re saying, ‘A deal’s a deal.’ These young people have signed a contract and the Government should honour it. Ministers like to bang on about taking a 5 per cent pay cut, but these kids are taking a 100 per cent cut in their income.One of the things we want is for Michael Gove to honour his pre election pledge and pay these 300,000 teenagers next year who have started courses because he gave a commitment, rather than waste public money to drag Gove back to the Commons to do a Spelman."

we should use the idea of the government breaking contract with students to aid us in our campaign.it may increase publicity of the cause.