The further education joint trade unions have now lodged a pay claim for 2015-16 to the national employer, the Association of Colleges.
It comes at a time when there has never been more agreement across the sector regarding the challenges facing further education in England.
The claim also coincides with a broad community consensus, from trade unions, economists and politicians – including the prime minister – that Britain needs a real pay rise now.
Further education (non-senior management) staff have suffered real pay cuts totalling more than 17% over the last five years.
This year’s joint trade union claim acknowledges that the lower-paid have been hardest hit by the cuts in real wages over the last five years.
This claim is a flat claim because it delivers the same increase for all staff and therefore addresses the cost-of-living crisis faced by the lowest paid, but also the issue of pay parity with schools, academies and free schools.
It also contains the following living wage recommendations:
- to recommend that the living wage is the minimum pay rate in colleges with annual up-rating;
- to recommend that colleges enter into discussion with the Living Wage Foundation on achieving accredited status.
The joint trade unions celebrate the progress that the national joint forum has made on the living wage. A meeting of employers organised by by the Association of Colleges demonstrated commitment to the living wage in terms of moral leadership as well as business benefits.
The association has not agreed to this element in previous claims.
