College strike called off after staff win pay rise of up to 7.5%

Strike action at Hopwood Hall College has been called off after staff accepted a pay rise worth up to 7.5 per cent.

University and College Union members at the college in Rochdale were due to be on the picket line from 8am today and Friday along with four other colleges in the north west.

The colleges already saw a round of strike action last month in this dispute over low pay, with UCU demanding increases of at least 8.5 per cent to meet the cost-of-living crisis.

Hopwood Hall staff called off their walk out today after voting to accept a pay offer that for 2021/22 amounts to 6.49 per cent for all lecturers and 7.52 per cent for lecturers on the lowest salaries.

It comes weeks after the Association of Colleges recommended that college staff should be given a 2.25 per cent pay rise next year – an offer that the join trade unions called “insulting”.

UCU regional official Martyn Moss said: “We welcome Hopwood Hall College’s pay offer to our members in recognition of their dedication to the college and its students.

“Staff shouldn’t be forced to bear the brunt of soaring inflation and rising prices. Colleges need to work with us to get staff the pay rise they deserve so we can avoid any further disruption.”

The four colleges still facing strike action in the north west are: Burnley College, City of Liverpool College, Manchester College, and Oldham College.

Staff at another college in the north west, Bury College, called off their strike last month after accepting a pay offer worth up to 6.2 per cent.

The UCU said that since 2009 pay in further education has fallen at least 25 per cent behind inflation and the pay gap between school and college teachers stands at around £9,000.

Hopwood Hall College was approached for comment.