UCU general secretary Jo Grady to visit INTO Manchester picket on Tuesday as part of low pay dispute

UCU members at the private college for international students downed tools on Thursday 25 September and will do so again on Tuesday 30 September. Jo Grady will visit the picket line at the entrance to the college's main building on Whitworth Street from 8.30am to 9.15am tomorrow and discuss the campaign with members. 

Despite the disruption and calls from the union to talk, the college has refused to budge from its pay offer of just a 2% rise, a significant real term cut against inflation. 

The strike comes after an overwhelming 97% of UCU members voted to take strike action in a ballot that saw a turnout of 83%.  

The union said that despite repeated requests the employer has refused to discuss changes to the pay offer and have not met with the branch to discuss the offer since May. 

The college currently charges foundation students up to £18k per year, and last year made over £20m, paying out £15m in dividends. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'When shareholders have hoarded over £20m in profits, a pay offer of just 2% is an insult to staff who have been working hard for students, while struggling to make ends meet. All we are asking is that the money our members have created is used, in part, to sufficiently raise wages. But management have not met us about pay since May and are refusing to talk. UCU members at INTO Manchester have my full support, and the full backing of our union.' 

A member of staff who wished to remain anonymous said: 'As the main breadwinner in our family, I have to use my wage to support everyone. We can only shop at discount supermarkets, can rarely afford to go out and we even qualified for food vouchers when my son was at school. It saddens me that I have worked for this company for so long, have two postgraduate degrees and I am earning considerably less than colleagues doing the same job in the same industry.'