Strikes off at Kirklees College as staff win pay rise and improvements to working conditions

The negotiated deal will include: 

• 4.5% pay award for all staff, effective from the 1 April 2026 and backdated to 1 March 2026 with an additional 0.5% for lecturers on scale point 34 
• Alignment with the Real Living Wage 
• Commitment to further negotiations and improvements to their existing workload agreement by April 2026 
• Potential time off in lieu for open days, parents' evenings, and recruitment events. 

 The deal leaves 17 colleges in the England wide dispute over fair pay and conditions, with strike action taking place at other colleges on Friday 16 January.   

UCU is urging management at the remaining colleges to come back to the table and make fair pay offers that help close the pay gap between school and college teachers so it can call off the remaining strike action. 

UCU - alongside sister unions NEU, GMB, UNISON and Unite - is calling for a New Deal for FE, including pay parity with schoolteachers, national workload agreements and a binding national bargaining framework. The average college teacher earns £9,000 less than their counterpart does in schools. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'I want to congratulate our members at Kirklees College for winning a pay award that helps bring their salaries into line with their counterparts in schools. It is down to the determination and incredible solidarity of our members which shows what can be achieved when workers unionise and stand together. 

'To avoid disruption on campus this week, leaders at colleges where we are still in dispute need to make meaningful offers and show they value their staff.'