Up-to 4000 education staff are set to go on strike at 31 colleges across England after UCU members voted to take action earlier this month. 

The strikes are happening because of a dispute over pay and the spiralling cost of living crisis. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said staff “cannot go on being paid so little”. 

“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,” Grady said. 

The general secretary added: “College leaders need to wake up to this crisis, stop dining off the goodwill of their workforce and make a serious pay offer. Failure to do so will lead to the largest strike action that English further education has ever seen.” 

In June, the Association of Colleges made a pay recommendation of 2.5%. This was rejected by the UCU, with the union demanding a pay offer reflecting inflation. 

UCU strike dates 

The 'unprecedented' industrial action, which starts today (September 26), involves 17 colleges and will last three days. 

On October 6, twelve colleges will go on strike for two days. Other strikes will occur on October 10 and 11 while October 18 will see three days of picketing. 

Which colleges are going on strike? 

The University and College Union (UCU) represents higher education staff at dozens of institutions. 

  • Abingdon & Witney College 
  • Bath College 
  • Blackburn College 
  • Bridgwater and Taunton College 
  • Chichester College Group (Crawley) 
  • Chichester College Group (Chichester) 
  • City College Plymouth 
  • City of Bristol College 
  • Croydon College 
  • Derby College 
  • Halesowen College 
  • Hereward College of FE 
  • Lambeth College 
  • New College Swindon 
  • Lewisham College 
  • Southwark College 
  • Carlisle College 
  • Newcastle College (including Newcastle Sixth Form) 
  • West Lancashire College 
  • Bournville College of FE 
  • South & City College Birmingham 
  • Strode College 
  • Truro & Penwith College 
  • Weston College 
  • Wiltshire College 
  • Yeovil College 

Nine more colleges have live mandates to strike but have not set any picket dates. 

  • Barnet & Southgate College 
  • Epping Forest College 
  • Hackney College 
  • Havering College 
  • Liverpool College 
  • Redbridge College 
  • Sandwell College of FHE 
  • Sparsholt College Hampshire (including Andover College) 
  • Tower Hamlets College 

Staff will be picketing outside colleges on each morning of the industrial action which could be up to 10 days of strikes in the coming weeks.