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Sixth form colleges - pay background
ATL members in sixth form colleges have voted against taking industrial action over their employers' attempts to impose a pay freeze for 2011-12.
In a 27% turnout, 61% of members voted against striking, leading ATL's president, Alice Robinson to declare no industrial action will take place.
Strikes could still take place in sixth form colleges in England by members of NUT and NASUWT over the refusal by the Sixth Form Colleges Forum to make a pay offer for 2011-12.
This year's pay freeze comes after only a 0.75% rise in 2010-11, leaving teachers in sixth form colleges earning less than their counterparts in schools.
Ballot details
Members balloted: 1,388
Votes returned: 381 (27%)
In favour of strike action: 147 (39%)
Against strike action: 233 (61%)
Action by other unions
For more information on what to do when members of other unions are on strike in your workplace, see:
Background to the dispute
The staff side has agreed reluctantly to consult their respective memberships on possible industrial action following a break down in negotiations. The 2010-11 pay increase of just 0.75% resulted in the loss of pay comparability between teaches in sixth form colleges and thosein schools. However, the pay agreement did include commitments by the national college employers to meet in 2011 and 2012 to discuss pay and to seek to restore pay comparability as soon as funding permitted.
The agreement of the staff side unions to this settlement in 2010 hinged upon the basis of these assurances from the employers. Unfortunately, the retirement of the head of secretariat for the Sixth Form College Forum in May 2011 led to the pay negotiations for 2011-12 being handled by a new team within the Local Government Group, who adopted a more confrontational and inflexible approach from the outset. In a provocative move, the new employers' team undermined the previous commitments given to the unions by saying that they would not be offering any pay increase for 2011-12.
Whilst recognising the funding constraints upon sixth form collegess, there was a reasonable expectation that the reality of a pay freeze for schools would provide an opportunity for a step to be taken towards the realisation of the commitment to the restoration of pay comparability. The decision to refuse any pay offer threatens to destroy members' confidence in the employers, and lead to recruitment and retention problems in the sector.
In a survey of ATL members in sixth form collegess, almost 60% answered yes to the question "Do you want to be balloted on industrial action with a view to seeking a pay offer for 2011/12 from the employers' side?"
Other pay news
In November 2011, the Staff Side Secretariat of the NJC for Sixth Form Colleges published a report detailing the findings of a joint teacher union survey on the impact of the cuts.
In October 2011, the staff side requested that negotiations recommence on the pay deal for 2011-12. It is concerned that sixth form staff will be uncoupled from national negotiations around pay and conditions if agreement cannot be found around the pay deal.
Reps have been sent a statement on the latest position on pay and are encouraged to survey and meet members on the refusal of the Staff Side to offer a pay award for 2011-12. Please let the negotiators know what members' views are - reps should also contact Norman Crowther.
Depending on the response, members may be balloted on this issue. ATL will be hoping to host a Sixth Form Reps Network event on this and other matters next term.
In July the three teacher unions - ATL, NASUWT and NUT issued a joint statement covering the breakdown in negotiations with employers, after SFCF representatives refused any pay increase for support staff.
In June 2011 the three teacher unions issued a joint pay claim and statement on pay for 2011/12 along with a statement from the staff side of the NJC for staff in sixth form colleges.
In April 2011 the unions, with extreme reluctance, issued a letter accepting the 2010/11 pay deal as the employers made it clear that there would be no increase on an offer of a 0.75% pay increase on all salary points, with effect from 1 September 2010.
GTCE and IfL
The requirements for professional registration for FE teachers provide that teachers in sixth form colleges who are General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) members are exempted from the requirement to register with the Institute for Learning (IfL).
The SFCF (the national organisation of sixth form colleges) and the teacher unions have for some time sought the Department for Children, Schools and Families' (DCSF) agreement that it will reimburse such teachers the cost of the GTCE registration fee as happens in schools (IfL membership is at present without charge). Pending that decision, it was agreed with the DCSF that no action should be taken by colleges to require registration with either body. Joint advice was issued by the SFCF and teacher unions to that effect.
The DCSF has now informed the SFCF and teacher unions that it does not intend to reimburse the GTCE fee to sixth form college teachers who opt to join the GTCE. The SFCF and the teacher unions have agreed to continue joint representations on this matter and will seek an extension of the moratorium on the requirement to register. The SFCF and the teacher unions are not therefore making any change in the previous advice regarding registration. Further information will be issued in due course.
Irrespective of the DCSF position, the teacher unions will of course continue to seek to ensure that teachers do not themselves have to bear the cost of the GTCE fee.
Need further advice?
Your first point of contact is your ATL rep in your school or college. Your local ATL branch is also available to help with queries, or you can contact ATL's member advisors on tel: 020 7930 6441 or email us. Please have your membership number to hand when telephoning and include it with any correspondence - this will help us to answer your query more quickly.