Staff at Truro & Penwith College begin six days of strike action today in pay dispute

Today's strike is the first of six extra days of action being taken because management is refusing to negotiate with UCU officials, with action now taking place on 1, 8, 9 December and 10, 11 & 12 January 2023.

Prior to today, UCU members at the college had already taken 10 days of strike action this year in the long running pay dispute. National Education Union (NEU) members also joined today's action, after recently winning their ballot for strike action, and will join all further strike days unless college bosses meaningfully raise pay.

Staff are demanding a pay rise that helps them meet the cost of living crisis. RPI inflation is currently 14.2%, but the college has only raised pay by a paltry 2.5% alongside a one off payment of just £750. Shamefully, the college has also presented the government's 1.25% reduction in national insurance contributions as a benefit that it has passed on to staff.

UCU says the college can easily afford to meet staff demands but is instead pushing them into poverty. The most recent college accounts show it has reserves of over £38m, no debts whatsoever and is running a surplus.