College staff start 3-day strike over ongoing pay dispute

Bury: Staff at Holy Cross College kicked off their strike today. They’re walking out for three days over pay issues that just won’t go away.

The teachers, part of the National Education Union, started picketing outside the college early this morning. They’ll be back at it tomorrow and Thursday, too.

This strike is part of a bigger movement, with 32 sixth form colleges across the country joining in. About 2,000 teachers are taking part, all pushing for better pay.

Last year, NEU members already staged four days of strikes. The government did announce a 5.5% pay rise for teachers in England, but it’s not helping everyone.

Colleges that haven’t become academies aren’t getting the same funding to implement this pay rise. So, teachers in those colleges are feeling left out.

According to the NEU, the pay offer for non-academised colleges is just not fair compared to what their peers are getting. They’re being offered 3.5% for part of the year and 5.5% later, but that still puts them behind.

NEU rep Liam O’Rourke said they just want to be treated fairly, like every other teacher in the country. He acknowledged the government’s challenges but urged them to finish the job for sixth form colleges.

They’re hoping to resolve this quickly, as they know students’ education is being disrupted. They’re also checking how many members are in the NEU and how many students are around today.

The Department for Education responded, saying they recognize the importance of further education. They mentioned that colleges set their own pay and manage their own relations.

They also highlighted that the recent budget included extra funding for further education, aiming to help young people gain the skills needed for the future.