Chichester and Crawley College staff continue strike action
They're walking out for three consecutive days starting today
Strike action at two Sussex colleges enters its fourth week today (Tuesday 18 October)
Chichester and Crawley are among 20 colleges across England that will be walking out for three consecutive days.
The University and College Union say it is in a row over low pay amid the cost-of-living crisis.
They say that since 2009 pay in further education has fallen behind inflation by 35% and the pay gap between school and college teachers stands at around ÂŁ9k. Unqualified college teachers earn as little as ÂŁ21k whilst qualified teachers earn as little as ÂŁ26k.
In June, employer representative the Association of Colleges made a pay recommendation of just 2.5%. RPI inflation is now at 12.3%. The UCU has labelled this as an "insult".
According to the UCU, this is the biggest wave of industrial action further education has ever seen.
The full dates of strike action are:
- Tuesday 18 October
- Wednesday 19 October
- Thursday 20 October
Staff will be picketing the entrances of all colleges each day of the strike action.
The Department for Education has announced ÂŁ1.6bn in extra funding for further education and UCU estimates that colleges already have an additional ÂŁ400m that is available to spend on staff compared with 2019-20.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "This strike action could have ended weeks ago, but these colleges are refusing to give their own staff a fair pay deal. Principals are instead choosing to push their employees into poverty amid the cost-of-living crisis.
"College staff are the beating heart of education and transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of students every year. Yet their pay has fallen behind inflation by 35% over the last twelve years and now many are using food banks. It is frankly an insult for employer body the Association of Colleges to recommend a pay offer of just 2.5%.
"Where we receive meaningful offers from employers, we are willing to negotiate. But first college principals need to make serious pay offers that will help staff survive the coming months."
The UCU is also balloting staff at 150 universities including over low pay.