Settlement of this year’s pay claims in both England and Wales has moved a step nearer. Until now, the AoC in England and Fforwm in Wales had been insisting that all unions must accept the offer before the pay rise can be recommended to colleges.
To take matters forward those unions who had accepted the employers’ offer have agreed to press for its implementation. The move has the backing of ACM, ATL, Unison and all other trade unions with the exception of the UCU. Indeed, despite a majority of their branches agreeing to the offer in England, UCU decided to go ahead with a strike ballot anyway. A separate strike ballot is also planned for Wales.
If the pay increase of 2% from August 2007 and a further 1% from February 2008 is recommended to colleges in England, it opens the door for national negotiations on a number of important non-pay items such as working time and training. Without a settlement then all these items would be lost.
In Wales the offer is 2.5% from August 2007.
