NEU strikes called off at Barton Peveril and Peter Symonds

NEU members, including those at Peter Symonds College and Barton Peveril College in Hampshire, had been in conflict over pay and conditions, resulting in eight days of strike action.

The dispute was resolved after the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) provided firm, written assurances that there would be no two-tier pay offers in future years and that all pay awards would have a single pay settlement date.

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Teachers striking outside Peter Symonds (Image: Chris Atkinson) As a result, 78.6 per cent of the members who were balloted voted to accept the revised pay offer, which includes a 5.5 per cent increase from April 1, with a backdated offer of 3.5 per cent from September 1, 2024, plus the new guarantees.

A 64.6 per cent turnout in the ballot of several thousand members was recorded.

Phil Clarke, regional secretary of the NEU, said: "Our sixth form college teacher members have made significant gains in eight days of strike action against an unfair decision, by government, to underfund sixth form colleges.

"By taking a strong and united position for fairness, sixth form college teachers have boosted funding to the sector for an above inflation pay award and protected the future of the sixth form college sector in the long term."

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He added: "This dispute was frustrating and entirely avoidable.

"It was a great pity the Government let this dispute run on when an easy and fair solution was available.

"While the pay guarantees the union has secured will ensure that two-tier pay offers do not reoccur in future, we need to see more investment in sixth form colleges and further education."

Other colleges involved in the dispute included The College of Richard Collyer in West Sussex, Itchen College in Southampton, BHASVIC and Varndean colleges in Brighton, and Henley College in Oxfordshire.