New year strike threat at 16 English colleges in row over pay

Overall, 89% of UCU members backed strike action (individual results are below). However, only members in ten colleges will be able to join the action because anti-trade union laws require a turnout of 50% for the ballot to stand.

Overall the turnout was 48%, which is higher than the 45% turnout for the London Mayor election in 2016 and considerably higher than the 26% average turnout for the metro mayor elections last year.

The union said its officers would meet as soon as possible to discuss plans for further strikes. The dispute centres on the failure of college bosses to make a decent pay offer to staff who have seen their pay decline by 25% over the last decade.

The pay gap between teachers in colleges and schools currently stands at £7,000. The union said low pay was bad for staff, students and colleges. Around two-thirds of college heads say pay is a major obstacle for them when it comes to attracting staff.

UCU said colleges could not hide behind government cuts and if they wanted to avoid disruption in 2019 they should follow the lead of Capital City College Group who recently agreed a 5% pay deal for its 1,700 staff.

UCU head of policy Matt Waddup said: ‘It is a testament to the strength of feeling about their treatment that UCU members have voted in such large numbers to take strike action. Sixteen colleges will face significant disruption in the new year unless they agree to do more to address the pay and conditions of their staff. 

‘Government cuts are hurting the further education sector, but too many colleges use them as an excuse to do little or nothing. Colleges who wish to avoid being targeted for action need to follow the example of CCCG group who agreed a 5% pay deal for staff.

‘More colleges would be facing strikes if it was not for the anti-trade union laws introduced by this government. These laws curtail people’s democratic right to strike in a manner that is not used in any other part of society.’

* The 16 colleges are the ten whose ballots closed today and met the 50% threshold:

Abingdon and Witney College, Bridgwater and Taunton College, City of Wolverhampton College, Coventry College, East Sussex College, Harlow College, Hugh Baird College, Kendal College, Leicester College, West Thames College

And the six who took action in November:

Bath College, Bradford College, Croydon College, Lambeth College, New College Swindon and Petroc in Devon.

FULL BALLOT RESULTS

The 10 colleges meeting the 50% threshold:

College	Yes%	No%	Turnout%
West Thames College	100	0	64
Hugh Baird College	100	0	59.2
Kendal College	95.5	4.5	52.4
Leicester College	94.5	5.5	52.9
Coventry College	92.3	7.7	54.6
East Sussex College Group	91.2	8.8	56.7
City of Wolverhampton College	90.6	9.4	78.2
Bridgwater and Taunton College	83	17	52.7
Harlow College	82	18	52.6
Abingdon and Witney College	70.7	29.3	54

 

Colleges not meeting the 50%

College	Yes%	No%	Turnout%
Barnsley College	93.4	6.6	49.2
South & City College Birmingham and Bournville College	92.2	7.8	34.2
City Lit	91.1	8.9	40.2
Strode College	90.3	9.7	42.5
Truro & Penwith College	90.2	9.8	46
City College Plymouth	90.1	9.9	48
City of Bristol College	90	10	45.4
Richmond Upon Thames College	87.5	12.5	41.4
South Thames College Group^	87.3	12.7	42
Havering College	86.1	13.9	43.9
Morley College	82.9	17.1	48.6
East Riding College	77.8	22.2	37
Wiltshire College	70.3	29.7	33

^ Kingston College, Carshalton College and South Thames College