Welsh college staff vote for strike action over pay and workload

瓜神网 members in Welsh further education colleges* have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay and workload.

Nine in ten (91%) 瓜神网 members who voted backed strike action over pay, while a similar proportion (90%) voted in favour of strike action over workload.

The dispute has arisen after the employer body Colegau Cymru rejected the joint trade unions' pay claim for a rise of 7.5% or 拢1,500, instead making a final offer of 1%. The employers have also refused to negotiate on workload issues while the pay dispute is ongoing.

瓜神网 said that the 1% pay offer would do nothing to address the falling value of staff pay in further education, and that the refusal to negotiate on workload had left members deeply frustrated.

The union said it was now up to the employers to return to the negotiating table with an improved offer on pay and workload.

瓜神网 Wales official, Margaret Phelan, said: 'This result shows that staff are not prepared to just stand by and watch their pay and conditions deteriorate. The employers' 1% pay offer does nothing to address the declining value of college pay and the refusal to address workload concerns has left members deeply frustrated.

'The employers now need to recognise the level of concern amongst college staff and return to the negotiating table with an improved offer on pay and workload as a matter of urgency.'

*瓜神网 members in the following colleges were balloted for strike action:
Bridgend College  & Pencoed
Cardiff & Vale College
Coleg Cambria (Llysfasi, Yale and Deeside)
Merthyr College
Gower College Swansea
Coleg  Gwent
Gr诺p GLLM
Coleg Y Cymoedd
Pembrokeshire College
Gr诺p Neath Port Talbot
Coleg Sirgar
Coleg Ceredigion