News update : 3rd July
During Friday’s UCU branch meeting members rejected the latest offer from the employer, which would still mean significant pay reductions, and voted to register a failure to disagree and invoke the disputes procedure with the College.
News update : 21st June, 4pm
News update: 21st June, 11am
UCU press release 20th June : Second protest to take place
Staff at Darlington College will stage another demonstration tomorrow (Wednesday) lunchtime in a row over proposals to slash lecturers’ salaries by up to 10%. The news come as it has been revealed that a proposed merger between the college and Stockton Riverside College has been scrapped.
Staff will gather outside the main entrance on the corner of Vicarage Road and Haughton Road from 12pm. UCU has demanded to know how much money had been spent looking at the merger and criticised the government-backed area reviews, which had recommended the merger.
UCU regional official, Joyce McAndrew, said: ‘The money spent looking at the potential merger and the government-backed area reviews, which recommended the merger in the first place, could have been far better spent on education for the people of Darlington.
‘Now the merger issue is out of the way, it is time for the college management to turn their attention to staff protests about pay cuts. We have seen teaching hours go up but no pay rises here in recent years. After wasting time and money looking at a merger, the college now needs to get back to properly rewarding its staff.’
At a union meeting on Friday 26 May, UCU members passed a motion of no confidence in the senior management team at the college. The vote came after the college increased teaching hours by 4.3% last year and is now seeking the pay cuts. Lecturers have not received a pay increase since 2012.
The union has said it wants to seek a negotiated resolution to the current dispute. It has made a number of proposals to the college management about how to mitigate the pay cuts and even requested a meeting with the college’s board of governors, which has been refused.
The first protest : Wednesday 14th June
Staff at Darlington College staged a demonstration at lunchtime on Wednesday 14th June in a row over proposals to slash lecturers’ salaries by up to 10%.
Staff gathered outside the main entrance on the corner of Vicarage Road and Haughton Road from 12:30pm. The protest was organised by UCU, unhappy at the cuts the college wants to implement from the start of 2018. The college principal and senior managers are not affected by the pay cut.
At a union meeting on Friday 26th May, UCU members passed a motion of no confidence in the senior management team at the college. The vote came after the college increased teaching hours by 4.3% last year and is now seeking the pay cuts. Lecturers have not received a pay increase since 2012.
UCU wants to seek a negotiated resolution to the current dispute. UCU has made a number of proposals to the college management about how to mitigate the pay cuts and even requested a meeting with the college’s board of governors, which has been refused.
UCU Regional Official, Joyce McAndrew, said: ‘Staff will be protesting outside Darlington College because following an increase in working hours last year, on top of five years without a pay rise, they are not prepared to accept a 10% pay cut.’
#NoDarloPayCuts
To help raise the profile please take part in the social media photograph campaign. Have your photo taken with the poster and share it with #NoDarloPayCuts If you aren’t on Twitter and/or Facebook please email your photograph to Emma Alexander ealexander@ucu.org.uk
# Poster white on purple background, no UCU logo # Poster Purple on white background with UCU logo or do the environmentally friendly option – instead of printing the poster, have your photo taken with the electronic poster displayed on your computer screen
UCU Regional Support Official Joyce McAndrew showing her support
UCU members from South Tyneside College in solidarity
Photographs from the 14th June protest
UCU Regional Official Joyce McAndrew joins protesters at Darlington College
Eddy Adam addressing the protesters
Protesters at Darlington College saying “Hands off our pay!” Photograph courtesy of Daniel Anderson
Links to media coverage
- The Northern Echo
- The Northern Echo (21st June)
- TES
- Morning Star
- Union News
- BBC Tees radio interview with UCU’s Joyce McAndrew
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Wall of support for the campaign
 UCU Darlington College members |
|
 Anya Cook, UCU Newcastle College branch |
 UCU Darlington College branch meeting on 30th June |
 Durham (New College Durham) |
South Shields (South Tyneside College) |
 Dave O’Toole, Exeter |
 Gateshead |
 Gateshead |
 Gateshead |
 Gateshead |
 Gateshead |
 Gateshead |
 Iain Owens, Gateshead |
 Gateshead |
 Stockton |
 Stockton |
 Stockton |
 Joyce McAndrew, Gateshead |
 Jon Bryan, Gateshead |
 Richard Bathgate, Gateshead |
 Newcastle |
 Rebecca Richards, Exeter |
 South Shields |
