Staff at Devon and Cornwall colleges walk out in strike over pay

Staff at City College, Plymouth have walked out in a dispute over pay

A three-day staff strike is taking place at two Cornwall and Devon colleges over a pay offer.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at City College Plymouth and Truro and Penwith College are striking from 18 to 20 October.

A 2.5% pay recommendation from an employer body has been called an "insult" by the UCU.

The Association of Colleges said leaders were doing all that they could to raise wages.

The strike action is part of an action involving 20 colleges across England,

The UCU said it was "demanding employers make a pay offer that reflects the soaring cost of living".

It said the "vast majority of college staff are financially insecure, impacting the mental health of more than eight in 10 with many being forced to skip meals and restrict hot water use to save money".

The union added: "Seven in 10 said they will leave the sector unless pay and working conditions improve."

An Association of Colleges spokesman said: "Colleges have faced more than a decade of brutal cuts and increased costs, made worse by the pandemic and current energy bill crisis.

"Leaders in colleges across the country recognise the enormous financial challenges their staff are facing because of the cost of living crisis and are doing all that they can to raise wages, whilst maintaining the financial security of their organisations.

"Realistically, the only way this is going to be able to happen in a meaningful way is if government invests properly in colleges through an increase in funding.

"We continue to push for that."