College staff threaten new strikes over pay

Staff working for the Education Training Collective previously took strike action over six days

Staff at five colleges are threatening new strikes in a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) working at colleges on Teesside which are part of Education Training Collective (ETC) voted in favour of more strikes.

It is the latest escalation over pay awards, with walk-outs already held over six days.

ETC said the vote was disappointing and it had already raised wages by 10.5%, which was in line or above the Association of Colleges' recommendation.

UCU members branded a previous offer of a 3% rise for the academic year 2022-23, with a further 1% from May 2023, as "paltry".

However, ETC say a further 6.5% rise was implemented in October 2023, bringing overall rates up 10.5%.

A company spokesman said: "This was strengthened, following negotiations, with the addition of two consolidated well-being days, along with improvements to lecturer and course leader pay scales from August 2024."

Impact on learners

Chris Robinson, UCU's regional support official, called for ETC to submit a "sensible offer".

"In order for ETC to avoid further strike action during open days, exam periods and the start of the 24/25 term, we call upon management to reconsider its position and get around the table and to finally put a sensible offer forward that will end this dispute," he said.

He added that despite an urgent request for pay talks, the group principal had "refused to come to the table".

The ETC spokesman said while it was "unfortunate" the dispute could not be resolved, disruption to learners had been kept to a minimum.

He added UCU members who had voted in favour of strike action accounted for less than 5% of the company's workforce.

"ETC, as an employer, recognises the incredible efforts of our colleagues and wishes to remunerate them as favourably as is possible," he said.

"However, colleges will be restricted by affordability unless there is an increase in funding rates for further education.

"Campaigning on this issue is common ground that both UCU and ETC share."