More strikes at five Teesside colleges over pay

Staff outside Stockton Riverside College in an earlier strike held in December

Staff at five Teesside colleges have gone on strike as part of a long-standing pay dispute.

Walkouts are planned on Tuesday and Wednesday at Bede Sixth Form College, The Skills Academy, Stockton Riverside College, the NETA Training Group and Redcar and Cleveland College.

It follows strikes held by staff in November and December over calls for improved pay rise offers.

The Education Training Collective (ETC) which runs the colleges said it was "disappointed" by further strike action and the priority was to minimise disruption to learners.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are calling for a better pay rise for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years.

ETC staff received a 3% pay rise for the 2022-2023 academic year, with a further 1% rise from May 2023. An ETC spokesperson said this was higher than the Association of Colleges' recommendation.

But UCU regional support official Chris Robinson said that offer did not reflect the high rates of inflation seen at the time.

The ETC has also offered a 6.5% pay rise to staff for the 2023-2024 academic year which they said was in line with the Association of Colleges' guidance.

But the strikers are seeking a 9.5% pay rise for 2023-2024 and Mr Robinson said if the ETC made such an offer, the UCU would be likely to recommend this offer to their members and in turn help resolve the pay dispute for both academic years.

"Our members still very much support our action," Mr Robinson said, adding: "They are willing to go out on the picket line and demand better pay terms and conditions."

An ETC spokesman said: "We continue to be sympathetic to the undisputable impact that the national cost of living crisis is having on our staff."

He said the ECT was working with the union to find a "mutually agreeable solution".