Salford City College is braced for three more days of strike action by National Education Union (NEU) members this week, with more to follow, as the dispute over the management's refusal to implement a nationally agreed pay and conditions deal looks set to escalate.
"It's very disappointing that the College hasn't seen fit to bring this dispute to an end as quickly as possible; we will have no alternative but to continue our fight for fair pay for our members at this College" explained NEU Salford Division Secretary, Judith Elderkin on the picket line at Pendleton Sixth Form College this morning.
"To depart from a nationally agreed pay scale worsens pay and conditions for our members and ultimately will affect recruitment and retention of staff at the College and that inadvertently and eventually will impact on the students" she added "Clearly the sporadic nature of strike action and the affect that has on teaching and learning is quite worrying for our members taking strike action but unfortunately it has to take place, and we are hoping that the College will sit down quite seriously and look at a way of solving this dispute."
That prospect seems a long way away at the moment, as no meetings have been held, letters have been sent to the union about 'noise' the pickets are causing with drums and whistles, and, last week, the Salford Star understands that bouncers were at the College doors ripping union leaflets out of students' hands that explained the staff reasons for going on strike. It's not quite Hong King but hey...
"The dispute is of their making not ours, and we will not stand by and have our members' terms and conditions worsened by this College that seems well able to pay not only this pay rise but the next one coming" added Judith.
The strike at Salford City College continues today with pickets outside Pendleton Sixth Form College, tomorrow when the focus will be on City Skills on Frederick Road and Thursday back at Pendleton.
"It's a substantial part of the week when students will not be taught by our members" Judith concluded "And we will be announcing further strike action to the management of the College shortly...."
For more background see previous Salford Star articles – click here and click here
Update: 1pm - A Pendleton Student Writes...
"I'm a student at Pendleton and this morning the strikers were handing out leaflets describing why the teachers were striking. When we walked inside the reception, I was told by the security personal to hand them the leaflet. And they were taking the leaflets off the students..."
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