Strike warning over low pay in North West colleges

UCU has warned the leaders of six colleges in north west England that strike action is on the cards after UCU members said they were willing to walk out over pay levels.

Members at Hopwood Hall, Bury, Burnley, Oldham, The Manchester, and City of Liverpool colleges all voted 'yes' in a consultative ballot over they were willing to take strike action in support of an 'inflation plus' pay claim.

UCU is demanding that the colleges increase pay by at least the level of inflation for 2021/22. This would mean pay increases of at least 8.5%. Since 2009 pay in further education has fallen by 35% in real terms and the gap between school and college teachers stands at around £9k.

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