Strike ballot at New College Durham over low pay

The ballot will close on Monday 15 April and a successful result paves the way for strike action if the employer refuses to make a realistic offer.

The ballot comes after staff voted to reject a paltry pay offer of 4% (from August 2023). According to its most recent accounts the college has over £9m in assets, a £2m increase on the year before, and is rated as having outstanding financial health by the government's Education and Skills Funding Agency, yet UCU's research shows it spends less of its income on pay than any other college in the region.

UCU regional support official Chris Robinson said: 'It is disappointing that New College Durham is unwilling to move from its position of 4% despite having the financial ability to do so, our members have quite rightly rejected this offer. As a union we have been left with no alternative but to move to a strike ballot to get a fair deal on pay.'