UCU response to Labour analysis of decline in further education staff, students and colleges

UCU was responding to figures highlighted by the Labour Party showing the impact of government policy on further education over the last five years. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Funding for further education needs to be massively increased on a long-term basis. This government has overseen years of cuts to the sector which have led to lower pay, fewer staff and less opportunity for students. Now more than ever it is time for this government to prove it is committed to further education and ensure a stable future for everyone who works and studies in our colleges. 

'If the government were serious about the value of our colleges, the need to rebuild after the pandemic, and reskill the workforce for the jobs of the future, it would commit to this necessary long-term investment and insist that staff are properly paid.'