TEACHING and support staff at Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC) will be striking for 10 days in a dispute over pay amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Staff members from 29 colleges across the UK are expected to strike over a four-week period between Monday, September 26 and Thursday, October 20.

The University College Union (UCU) is demanding that employers make a pay offer that reflects inflation and the rising cost of living.

Four per cent of staff at BTC voted in favour of taking strike action, with picket lines expected at the front gate of the Bridgwater campus.

BTC is “disappointed” that some staff have voted in favour of strike action but respects their right to “take action within the channels open to them”.

The college says it will seek to reduce disruption to students and continue to lobby for “fairer funding” for itself and the further education sector.

The strikes follow the UCU rejecting a 2.5 per cent pay increase for college staff recommended by the Association of Colleges in June.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, said: “Strike action on this scale in further education is unprecedented.

“But our members have been left with no other option, they are being pushed into poverty by college bosses who refuse to raise pay to help them meet the cost-of-living crisis.

“College staff deliver excellent education but over the last twelve years their pay has fallen behind inflation by 35 per cent and now thousands are skipping meals, restricting energy use and considering leaving the sector altogether.

“This strike action will continue for 10 days unless college bosses wake up to this crisis, stop dining off the goodwill of their workforce and make a serious pay offer.”

A spokesperson for Bridgwater & Taunton College said: “We are disappointed that a very small number of our staff members (four per cent) recently voted that they would be prepared to take strike action over pay. 

“We respect their right to take action within the channels that are open to them, and if members decide to take action, we will work to ensure any potential disruption will be kept to a minimum and ensure our students are not impacted by any action taken. 

“Despite a decrease in funding across the whole further education (FE) sector in recent years, we continue to focus our resources on our goal, which is to support our students to achieve their full potential, gaining the qualifications and experience to equip them for future employment. 

“We continue to lobby hard for Bridgwater & Taunton College and for the FE sector as a whole, for fairer funding. 

“This includes collaboration with representatives from across the FE sector including discussions with senior officials at the Department for Education and the Treasury to ensure they are fully aware of the impact of decreased funding in this vital sector.

“In the meantime, we remain one of the most successful colleges in the FE sector, as reflected in the achievements of our students.

“We seek external funding where possible to support investment in our facilities and resources, ensuring our students continue to benefit from the BTC Advantage, with access to the best resources, learning and enrichment experiences that we can provide. 

“Our staff members are crucial to this success and we recognise their professional focus on our student experiences, despite financial pressures.”

Strikes will take place across four weeks in the first half-term of the academic year.

The full dates of the upcoming UCU strike action are:

  • Week 1: Monday 26, Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 September (three days)
  • Week 2: Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October (two days)
  • Week 3: Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 October (two days)
  • Week 4: Tuesday 18 Wednesday, 19 and Thursday 20 October (three days).