More strikes planned for Hills Road Sixth Form College teachers in national dispute over pay
Sixth form college teachers in Cambridge are to continue strike action into January over a pay dispute, union leaders have announced.
The National Education Union (NEU) said members across 32 non-academised colleges - including Hills Road Sixth Form College - would walk out for three consecutive days from Tuesday, 7 January to Thursday, 9 January.
It comes as they are due to strike on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, while another strike day is planned for December 13. There will be a picket at Hills Road from 8am to 10am.
The government announced in July that teachers and school leaders in England will receive a fully funded 5.5 per cent pay rise this year.
Although sixth form colleges with academy status – like Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge – have been guaranteed funding to implement the pay award, this is not the case for those which have not become academies, the NEU said.
Paul McLaughlin, regional secretary, eastern region of the NEU, said: “No teacher wants to be taking strike action. “They want to be in classrooms doing what they do best: teaching. The exceptionally strong turnout for the strike action last Thursday (28 November) has sent a clear message to [the] government that our members are resolute.
“It is simply unjust that teachers in non-academised sixth form colleges are not being guaranteed the funding for a comparable pay award to the 5.5% pay deal seen elsewhere in academised sixth form colleges and schools.
“They do the same job with the same commitment and the same importance. We will never accept a two-tier workforce and our members must have the same pay.
“The responsibility for these strikes lies with [the] government not teachers. We remain as always willing to resolve this dispute with [the] government. However, in the face of yet more silence our members will continue with their action.
“The government needs to recognise this absurd situation needs to end and that they must quickly address this inexcusable pay divide. Let there be no doubt the strike action will continue into the New Year unless sense prevails, and our members are given the pay they deserve.”
As the Cambridge Independent reported last week, if Hills Road were to receive the same pay funding as 16-19 academies, it would mean an additional £434,000 for their budget this year.
Instead, Hills Road will be subject to what principal Jo Trump has referred to as an “insurmountable” budget hole if it were to try and make good on the government’s promise to teachers without any money to do so.
