Staff at London colleges including Richmond College and Kingston College walked out this morning over a pay dispute, causing major disruption to lessons.
The protest, which also involves staff from South Thames College, is against a recommended pay freeze from the Association of Colleges, which could result in a real-terms pay cut of 17 per cent for some staff members, according to UNISON.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis, who has supported the strike action, said: "Some colleges have promised their employees a pay rise, but the vast majority are determined not to budge from the zero per cent recommended.
"We urge the Association to follow the example of those more enlightened colleges who want to come back to the table to try to resolve this dispute.
"The real villains in this dispute are Government ministers, whose funding cuts over several years have left colleges in dire financial straits. But it shouldn't be further education employees paying the price."
Staff from South Thames College
Three quarters (74 per cent) of University and College Union members who voted in the union’s ballot at the end of last year backed strike action.
Last month, UNISON also backed industrial action with two thirds (66 per cent) of those who voted backing the walkout.
Mr Prentis added: "After years of pay freezes and real terms pay cuts, staff have been left with no choice but to take action to win a fair deal.
"It is time for the college employers to do the right thing, get back around the table and make a decent pay offer that rewards all college staff for their dedication and hard work."
In response to the strike action, Marc Whitworth, director of employment policy and services at the Association of Colleges (AoC) said the pay freeze reflected the specific financial challenges faced by the organisation’s members.
He said: "Colleges are facing increases to pension and national insurance contributions during 2015/16 and this coupled with reductions in funding mean that we have been unable to recommend an unsustainable increase in costs to our college members."
Robin Ghurbhurun, principal and chief executive of Richmond College, said: "Richmond upon Thames College has committed to consideration of pay awards over the next four years."
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