Truro & Penwith College staff to strike over low pay & high workloads

The union has already called three days of strike action since the start of the year (Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 January) after the college imposed a pay award of just 2%, only half that recommended by employer body the Association of Colleges.

The college seems reluctant to engage in committing to agree to implement meaningful blocks of protected time to allow academic staff to properly plan, prepare and assess the work of their students.

There was also a mass redundancy programme last year which has seen workloads rocket at a college that already has one of the highest weekly teaching allocations in the region.

College management claims the college can't afford anything more than the 2% it has imposed, which amounts to a real terms pay cut, because of financial strain. But it is no longer in deficit and is forecasted to make a surplus after the government body responsible for funding education providers, the Education and Skills Funding Agency moved it from a 'requires improvement' financial health rating to 'outstanding'.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Our members provide excellent education and training to learners across Cornwall, yet Truro and Penwith college bosses are refusing to pay them properly, imposing an award that is half that recommended by the employer body.

'Meanwhile, bosses also refuse to implement meaningful time for staff to plan and prepare their lessons and assess students' work. This is an attack not just on our members but on the student body.

'Management now has a small window of time to begin negotiating and respond formally to our demands. If it fails to do so, we will have no choice but to strike.'