UCU To Strike Before Negotiations Begin

College lecturers in England have voted to strike on Thursday 24 April in support of a demand to bring their pay up to that of schoolteachers. Over 27,000 lecturers in more than 250 colleges were balloted by the University and College Union (UCU). On a 38.6% turnout, 65.5% voted to support strike action.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), who teach in schools, are also striking on Thursday 24 April over a separate pay claim.

In both schools and colleges, many teaching professionals believe their employers are ignoring their professional status and serving business interests at the expense of community needs. NUT, UCU and the National Union of Students recently launched a joint campaign ‘Our schools, our colleges, our communities’ to draw attention to threats to the quality of local, public education from college marketisation, ‘city academies’ and cuts in public services.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of UCU, said: “College lecturers feel undervalued, despite their successes, which the government has recognised.

‘The considerable difference in the average pay of lecturers and teachers doing the same work is grossly unfair.

‘It is more than four years since FE employers agreed to move lecturers to the same length pay scales as school teachers but 47% of colleges still haven’t done that. The treatment of FE staff is a scandal. Pay has been further eroded by below-inflation pay awards.

‘Further education is central to the government’s plans for reskilling the nation but colleges must also serve their communities, not simply be factories for qualifications. Lecturers are delivering. Now college employers must tackle the deep dissatisfaction amongst their staff.’

Responding to today’s announcement by the UCU, Sue Dutton, Association of Colleges (AoC), Acting Chief Executive, said: “Colleges are disappointed that the University and Colleges Union (UCU) has called its members out to strike on 24 April over the 2008/09 pay claim.

‘The action is unprecedented as it is being called before national pay negotiations have even begun. Despite the decision, AoC is still committed to national pay negotiations, which are due to start 1 May.”

None of the other five unions who are party to the national pay claim have held industrial action ballots.