Sixth Form College Educators Initiate Strike Action Regarding Remuneration

Industrial action is causing disruption to the studies of tens of thousands of students attending sixth form colleges throughout England. The National Education Union (NEU) reports that approximately 2,000 of its members are participating in a strike concerning pay. During September, the majority of teachers in schools and academies were granted a 5.5% pay increase; however, sixth form colleges were excluded from this remuneration adjustment. According to the Department for Education, sixth form colleges bear the responsibility for determining their own salary scales. On Thursday morning, approximately 20 teachers were observed protesting outside Holy Cross College, located in Bury, Greater Manchester. Peter Barrow, the NEU representative at the college, which enrolls over 2,000 students, stated, “It’s very cold, but we are willing to brave it.” He further commented, “The pay disparity between sixth form colleges and schools threatens the sector as a whole,” and expressed his hope for a swift resolution to the disagreement. An additional two strike days are scheduled for the upcoming week, specifically on 3 and 4 December. Generally, sixth form colleges surpass the size of sixth forms integrated within schools, accommodating thousands of students aged 16-19 pursuing A-levels, alongside technical and vocational qualifications. While numerous students are presently preparing for examinations or GCSE resits, colleges affirm they are implementing strategies to avert significant disruption. In September, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson granted teachers in primary and secondary schools a pay agreement exceeding inflation, consistent with the recommendation from the pay review body, with an extra £1.2bn provided by the government to assist in funding this increment. Educators in sixth forms affiliated with schools, and in colleges that have transitioned into academies, have received the pay increase due to their direct government funding. Members of the NEU at 32 sixth form colleges, which are not academies, have opted to strike, affecting approximately 80,000 students. Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, informed Radio 4’s Today programme that teachers are “going into Christmas not having had any pay award and we are trying to rectify that situation”. He estimated that “an additional £15m in funding – ‘small beer’ in funding terms – to rectify” the issue would be required. The remuneration for sixth form college staff is determined not by the government, but through discussions involving the Sixth Form College Association (SFCA) and the unions. Independently, the SFCA is pursuing a judicial review concerning the decision to exclude sixth form college personnel from the September pay review. In a statement, it asserted, “The government could avoid the disruption to young people’s education that will be caused by this strike action by revisiting its decision to fund a pay award for staff in schools but not colleges.” It added, “SFCA took the decision in September to seek a Judicial Review of this decision, and we will continue to pursue this legal action vigorously.” Although not endorsing the strike action, SFCA chief executive, Bill Watkin, stated their resolve to ensure “college staff and students get a fair deal from the government on this issue.” NEU members in colleges situated in Manchester, Hull, London, Leeds, Birmingham, and Bristol are all participating in the industrial action. Additionally, a rally was held outside the Department for Education in London. Earlier in the current month, skills minister, Baroness Jacqui Smith, expressed her desire for the remuneration of sixth form college staff to align with that of school teachers. An official from the Department for Education remarked, “Sixth form colleges are responsible for the setting of appropriate pay for their workforce and for managing their own industrial relations.” The official further stated, “The October Budget provided an additional £300m revenue funding for further education to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.”