Eight days of strike action begins today at London's biggest college

Staff are on picket lines on each of the eight days of action. The full strike dates are: 

• Week one: Tuesday 16 January, Wednesday 17 January, Thursday 18 January 
• Week two: Monday 22 January 2024 (*), Tuesday 23 January (*), Wednesday 24 January (*), Thursday 25 January, Friday 26 January 2024 

CCCG has campuses across London, including in Westminster, Camden and Enfield. Staff at CCCG have already taken three days of strike action in what began as a national dispute over low pay and poor working conditions. UCU has now settled disputes at 60 colleges with pay awards of up to 10%. The union said CCCG is an isolated employer and must look to other colleges and settle the dispute by making an acceptable offer.

Further education received almost £1bn (£924m) in new funding this year (23/24) compared to 2019. UCU surveyed its members over summer and the results showed the vast majority of respondents were struggling financially and desperately needed a pay rise.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Our members are being forced to take sustained strike action because CCCG would rather see its staff use foodbanks than make an acceptable offer.

'We have reached deals at 60 colleges, but CCCG is shamefully holding out and refusing to negotiate. It urgently needs to get back to the table, recognise that staff need decent pay, and settle this dispute.' 

(*) Update, 19 January 2024: CCCG UCU members voted on Friday 19 January 2024 in favour of suspending strike action from Monday 22 January 2024 to Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 13:00 to allow for further negotiations on the morning of Wednesday 24 January 2024. Following this meeting with the employer, there will be a UCU members' meeting to decide to accept or reject any offer put on the table. If an offer is rejected, strike action will continue from 13:00 on Wednesday 24 January 2024. If an offer is accepted, further action will be suspended.