Strike ballot opens at Manchester College

The ballot is taking place to renew the UCU's strike mandate. UCU members will begin receiving their ballot papers today and the ballot will run until Monday 12 December.

Staff at the college have already won a ballot but restrictive trade union laws mean their mandate must be renewed. Despite staff having taken eight days of strike actions so far, the college is refusing to increase salaries any further than a derisory 1% consolidated pay award alongside a one off payment equal to 1% for 21/22. For 22/23 the college is only offering just 2.7% for those earning over £33k or 4.5% plus a one payment equal to 1% for those earning £33k or less.

The union is demanding a pay award of 10% with a minimum uplift of £2k for 22/23 to help staff cope during the cost of living crisis. Its members at Manchester College have already twice rejected management's previous offers and RPI inflation has now hit 14.2%. The college's accounts show its parent company has £33.5m in the bank, more than double what it projected at the start of the financial year. UCU is in talks with management at ACAS and these will continue whilst the ballot proceeds.