London cycling instructors hold strike over pay

Striking instructors said they have had a 50% pay cut in real terms

London cycling instructors have gone on strike in a dispute over pay.

The Independent Workers' union of Great Britain (IWGB) said the instructors had faced a 14-year pay freeze, amounting to a 50% cut in real terms.

Its members will hold a protest ride and visit council town halls, with further action planned in July.

The three training provider companies involved - Cycle Confident, Bikeworks and Cycling Instructor Ltd - have all been contacted for comment.

During their protest ride on Friday afternoon, the instructors will visit various boroughs including Camden, Islington, Hackney and Haringey.

Suami Rocha, IWGB Cycling Instructors Branch chair, said instructors were "leaving the industry due to unsustainable pay and precarious conditions".

The union said Transport for London (TfL) had announced a 66% increase in funding to councils for cycle training in March which was "more than enough" to meet their demands, but the money had not been passed on to its members.

Mr Rocha added: "The hypocrisy of London councils is on full display here.

"They talk about tackling the climate emergency with green policies, but when they're given the funding to do so they hoard that money and refuse to properly invest in tangible solutions like cycle training."

One of the three training provider companies, Cycle Confident, has offered a pay rise of £1 per hour.

However, IWGB said this would leave instructors £9 per hour below the increase needed to reverse the freeze.

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