Staff at one college have not received an annual pay rise in a decade - believed to be a record for the sector.
FE commissioner Richard Atkins last month told Tes he had come across an extreme example of a college that had offered no annual pay rise at all for 10 years.
He added: “I’m amazed how long [the pay freeze has lasted] - the level by which some colleges’ staff pay has fallen behind [schools] is quite remarkable.”
A Tes investigation has revealed that the college in question is Amersham and Wycombe College, which merged with Aylesbury College last year to form the Buckinghamshire College Group. For seven of the past eight years, the Association of Colleges has recommended a pay award of some kind (see table below).
‘Unbearable’
Nick Lindsay, the UCU representative at the college, said the college leadership teams in recent years had claimed that offering a rise was unaffordable.
“The justification we’ve had from management is that the funds aren’t there,” Mr Lindsay said, adding: “We’re working harder but are getting nothing for it.
“Forget buying a house. I’m at the mercy of my landlady if my rent goes up. There are all kinds of issues, fuel prices going up. It becomes unbearable.”
‘Teaching should be well-paid’
Mr Lindsay, a music performance course leader at the college, said he has had to take on work as a DJ at weekends to help make ends meet.
“I’ve got a young family who I would much rather be spending time with than having to do extra work.
“Teaching should be a well-paid, secure job. We love doing our job and seeing the progress our students make. But it’s become difficult to balance that with home life and we do not see any appreciation from the college.”
A spokesperson for Buckinghamshire College Group said that, as Amersham and Wycombe College had now merged, it “cannot comment on a college that no longer exists.”
‘Fair pay now’
Andrew Harden, UCU’s head of further education, said: “College staff across the country have seen their pay held down time and again as their employers have failed to implement the recommended pay awards.
“Some staff haven’t had a pay rise in years and the value of pay in the sector overall has fallen by 25 per cent. College staff need fair pay now and will not accept being told once again that the cupboard is bare.”
UCU members in 110 colleges in England are being balloted for strike action in a row over pay and balloting closes on Friday 19 October.
AoC pay awards
- 2010-11 - 0.2 per cent (or £50, whichever was greater)
- 2011-12 - 0.3 per cent
- 2012-13 - 0.7 per cent
- 2013-14 - 0.7 per cent
- 2014-15 - 1 per cent
- 2015-16 - 0 per cent
- 2016-17 - 1 per cent
- 2017-18 - 1 per cent
