UCU writes to government calling for funding to support pay deal

Ahead of talks with the Association of Colleges (AoC), the union has written to skills and apprenticeships minister Anne Milton saying staff will not put up with another shoddy pay deal.

The union says that after a decade of real terms pay cuts, senior lecturers are now earning around £9,000 a year less than they would if their pay had simply kept pace with inflation. UCU says that even in colleges that have honoured the pay recommendations from the AoC, staff have suffered a real terms pay cut of 25% since 2009.

The letter says that if the government wants further education to thrive and be at the heart of its industrial strategy then it must support and develop the workforce. UCU says the current review of funding led by Philip Augar will not report in time for this pay round and calls on the government to provide additional funds to help with the staff pay issue.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'If the sector is to continue attracting experienced and dedicated staff to deliver for students, colleges need to make decent pay and conditions for staff a central priority.

'UCU members have already shown this year that they are prepared to take strike action to defend and improve their pay. After years of warm words, it is time for the government to step to the mark on funding for further education and for the employers to bring a sensible offer to the table.'