Wales FE workers accept 1% offer


A Wales FE worker

In a consultative ballot, Unison members in Wales further education (FE) colleges have voted to accept a 1% annual pay award.

This is obviously not enough to halt the continued erosion of our wages, let alone begin to reverse the 18% drop in our real incomes that Unison estimates has taken place since 2008. But we wouldn’t have received a penny if members in Unison and teaching unions hadn’t overwhelmingly decided on action over the employers’ proposal to offer no cost of living rise this year.

The advice from Unison over the consultation was the ubiquitous: “this is the best that can be achieved through negotiation”. But the offer came about in response to the threat of industrial action, not negotiation. 30% of our members rejected the 1% offer, showing that a growing number of members are unwilling to accept any further decline in incomes.

We are now facing a fight for jobs and the very future of further education in Wales, given the shocking funding settlement from the Welsh Government. Some colleges are reporting funding cuts of over 10% in this year alone. Labour ministers in Cardiff are presiding over the decimation of further education in Wales.