Trade dispute – sixth form colleges

In ballots of teachers in sixth form colleges, NASUWT – the Teachers’ Union, has today issued notice to the Education Secretary and employers of potential national industrial action, including strike action and action short of strike action across sixth form colleges in England.

NASUWT members in 56 sixth form colleges secured ballot mandates with 87.6% of eligible members voting to support strike action and 93.7% voting in support of action short of strike action based on an overall turnout of 64.9%.

Commenting on the results, Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

“Following months of refusal by Gillian Keegan to engage in any negotiations regarding the pay and conditions of teachers employed in sixth form colleges, our members have today committed to industrial action to address their ongoing concerns over pay, workload and working hours.

“The Secretary of State is responsible for the deteriorating situation faced by our members working in sixth form colleges.

“Sixth form colleges have suffered more than a decade of underfunding at the hands of the Government and as a consequence our members have seen their pay in freefall in real terms whilst their workload has increased markedly.

“The NASUWT has again written to the Education Secretary to ask her commit to immediate negotiations to resolve this dispute.

“Gillian Keegan cannot continue to bury her head in the sand. Sixth form college teachers deserve and demand better from the Government.

“We now expect the Education Secretary to take the opportunity to enter into negotiations to resolve this dispute and avoid the very real and serious prospect of disruption to education provision.”