Further college staff strikes over pay

An open day at Redcar and Cleveland College could be disrupted by the strike

Staff at five colleges plan to strike across two days in May in a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) working at colleges which are part of Education Training Collective (ETC) on Teesside will strike on 16 and 22 May.

It is the latest round of industrial action with walk-outs already held over eight days.

The UCU said a "crucial" open day would be disrupted by the strike unless negotiations started.

The ETC said visitors could "expect the same welcoming experience we always offer" at the open evening at Redcar and Cleveland College on 16 May, adding exams would continue as planned.

'Paltry' offer

The fresh walkouts come after staff rejected a pay offer, which the UCU said did not include "any improvement" on pay.

The ETC said wages had risen by 10.5% over two years, in the form of a 3% pay increase from August 2022, an additional 1% from May 2023, and a 6.5% increase for 2023/24.

It added its pay offer had been "strengthened" with two consolidated wellbeing days and improvements to lecturer and course leader pay scales from August 2024.

But Union members branded pay offers for the 2022-23 academic year and May 2023 as "paltry".

UCU regional support official Chris Robinson said: "Despite staff already taking eight days of action and renewing their mandate with an increased turnout and majority, management have once again failed to put a serious offer on the table.

"If it does not commit to serious negotiations, with a view to resolving this dispute, it can expect further disruption beyond these two days and into the next academic year."

'Targeted exams'

The ETC runs Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training Group, Stockton Riverside College, The Skills Academy and Redcar and Cleveland College.

A spokesperson for the company said the latest round of industrial action had "wilfully targeted exams dates".

They 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," the spokesperson said.

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