NUT Sixth Form College members vote to take strike action

NUT Press Release:

NUT members in sixth form colleges have voted to take strike action in opposition to Government funding cuts and cuts in teachers' pay and conditions.

The NUT balloted members in respect of two separate disputes, involving the Secretary of State for Education as the Minister responsible for setting colleges' funding, and the sixth form college employers who are increasing class sizes and working hours and freezing teachers' pay despite commitments made during the 2010 pay agreement.

Cuts to college budgets, coming on top of the axing of the Education Maintenance Allowance and an increase in tuition fees, will be seen as yet a further attack on the expectations of young people.

The NUT will be deciding on the initial date of strike action in the next few days.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said: “Sixth Form Colleges do an excellent job for the young people who attend them. Cuts to the funding for these institutions are having a devastating effect. Restoring their funding and reversing the increases in class sizes and cuts to teachers' pay are essential or standards are bound to suffer”.

The result of the NUT ballots was as follows:

Dispute with Sixth Form College Forum members (91 colleges)

Turnout 32.4%

Number voting ‘YES’ 950 (71.9% valid vote)
Number voting ‘NO’ 372 (28.1% valid vote)

Dispute with the Secretary of State (101 colleges)
Turnout 28.6%
Number voting ‘YES’ 987 (76.4% valid vote)
Number voting ‘NO’ 305 (23.6% valid vote)