Strike ballot opens as Nottingham College threatens to impose new contracts

UCU has accused the college of holding staff to ransom after it announced plans to dismiss anyone refusing to sign up to new contracts. The proposals would leave over 80 staff more than £1,000 worse off, and comes despite staff not receiving a pay rise since 2010.

The new contracts would also see staff lose up to eight days’ holiday, as well as cuts to sick pay and the removal of workload protections. Staff staged protests over the plans at the college’s sites in Stapleford, Clarendon, Basford and the city centre last week.

The union said its members had been left with no choice but to ballot for strike action after the college refused to address their concerns. It has urged the college to rule out any dismissal of staff and come back to the negotiating table to discuss the contract changes.

UCU regional official Sue Davis said: ‘Nottingham College is holding staff to ransom by threatening to dismiss anyone refusing to sign up to these new contracts. Asking staff who have gone nine years without a pay rise to accept a pay cut of over £1,000, as well as attacks on their working conditions, is simply unacceptable.

‘We have been negotiating with the college in good faith but it has refused to address our concerns and we have been left with no choice but to ballot for industrial action.’