Telford college strikes called off after pay deal agreed
Strikes have been called off at a Telford college after a new deal over pay was thrashed out between college bosses and union chiefs.
Union members at New College took to the picket line after bosses failed to give staff the nationally agreed one per cent pay rise for 2013/14.
The college had agreed to the rise for 2014/15 but joint unions pushed forward with action in the hope of receiving rises for both years.
And teachers were celebrating on Friday when Principal Fiona O'Brien called an all staff meeting to announce she would back-date the increase to September 2013.
The college said it has agreed to implement a 0.5 per cent pay rise with effect fromJuly 31, and a further 0.5 per cent pay rise with effect from 30th September.
Both of these rises will relate to the 2013-14 academic year and will be backdated to September 2013.
Pay awards for the 2014/15 academic year will be discussed with the Unions once the national recommendation from the Association of Sixth Form Colleges has been made. The agreement reached by the colleges and the unions is in relation to the 2013/14 period.
Adam Laurence, a teacher at the college, said: "This will be paid in two instalments, the first in July and the second in September, bringing us back into line with national pay and conditions. The strike has therefore been called off.
"We are delighted that there has been a positive outcome to this dispute. We all like a happy ending.
Fiona O'Brien, acting principal at New College Telford, said: "We are pleased to have achieved an outcome that is affordable for the college and acceptable to our staff. As we have always said, funding for this academic year remains tight but we have committed to paying the award for 2013/2014 and we are pleased that this is satisfactory for all the staff."
Both teaching and support staff at the Wellington college are represented by the National Union of Teachers, The Association of Teachers and Lecturers, NASUWT and Unison
Further strikes had been planned right up until September, with two set to take place tomorrow and Wednesday.
The action would have clashed with the college's open days but Mr Laurence said everyone was relieved situation had been sorted out. He said: "There was a union meeting on Thursday night when the topic of pay was discussed.
"By Friday lunchtime we were told the deal had been accepted and obviously everyone was really pleased about that.
"Further strikes would have clashed with the college's taster days. We didn't want to affect that so it's really good everything has worked out" he added.
