Staff to strike at five Teesside colleges over low pay
Members of the University and College Union are walking out
Staff at five colleges across Teesside are going on strike over low pay.
The action will take place today (Tuesday 7th November) and then again on Monday 13th November and Tuesday 14th November.
The University and College Union (UCU) says staff at five colleges in Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Cleveland will walk out as part of an ongoing dispute over low pay unless management make a realistic pay offer.
The UCU say they are urging management to quickly return to the negotiating table so that vital GCSE resits are not impacted.
The three days of strikes will take place at Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training Group, Stockton Riverside College, The Skills Academy and Redcar and Cleveland College, all of which are part of employer group Education Training Collective (ETC).
The action follows a strike ballot in which an overwhelming 95 percent of those that took part, voted for industrial action.
The dispute is over the employer's 22/23 pay award of 3 percent which was rejected by UCU members. The college then offered to add an additional 1 percent from May and to remove the bottom point of the lecturer pay spine, which UCU members again voted to reject.
The University and College Union said: "ETC has over £4m cash in the bank, and in 2022 its principal was paid over £300k, but it is trying to recruit lecturers for less than £24k. Since the ballot has started ETC has also been provided with unexpected and additional local funding, which UCU believe should be utilised to end this dispute."
UCU regional support official Chris Robinson said: "Staff at ETC go above and beyond to teach and support their students. But management are refusing to reward that dedication with a decent pay offer.
"Threatening to take strike action during GCSE resits is the last thing our members want to do, but they have been left with no choice. In a cost-of-living crisis, it is simply unacceptable that the employer is holding down pay and pushing highly skilled staff into poverty.
"Whilst the principal takes home six figures, our members are forced to survive on as little as £24k. We hope the employer meets with us urgently and makes a realistic offer that stops strike action taking place during crucial GCSE exams. There is over £4m sitting in the bank, the college must use that money to protect staff."