Strike ballot at Hugh Baird College over 'derisory' 1% pay offer

The ballot will run until Monday 20 June and if successful will pave the way for strike action during key dates early in the next academic year. It follows an overwhelming 89% of UCU members indicating they would be prepared to back strike action in a consultative ballot with a turnout of 81%.

UCU is demanding a significant uplift to pay to make up for more than a decade of below inflation pay offers and to help meet soaring levels of inflation. Since 2009 pay in further education has fallen at least 25% behind inflation and the pay gap between school and college teachers stands at around £9k. Westminster recently announced the biggest increase in further education funding in more than a decade.

Strike action at Bury College was called off last week after management tripled its initial pay offer from 2% to 6%. UCU is demanding Hugh Baird College uses any extra income to prioritise hard working staff.

UCU regional official Martyn Moss said: 'Our members cannot accept having their pay held down whilst the cost of commuting to work, heating the home and feeding the family soars. Hugh Baird College needs to use any extra income to prioritise staff yet so far it has offered a derisory 1% pay rise - a huge real term pay cut.

'The last thing the college should want to see when students and parents arrive next term is staff on picket lines but that is what will happen if the college refuses to pay staff fairly. Management urgently need to offer staff a decent pay rise to avoid any disruption.'