Drivers honk horns in support of striking Oldham College staff

The strike, organised by the University and College Union (UCU), aims to get an 8.5 per cent pay rise for workers.

Passing car drivers and even some bus drivers showed their support for the strikes by honking their horns in solidarity. Some students also supported their teachers.

One of the three pickets outside the college today. (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

The decision to strike came after a ballot of more than 1,000 members of the UCU last month came out in support of the action.

Strikes also took place at City of Liverpool College, Burnley College, Hopwood Hall College and Nelson and Colne College.

A strike at Bury College was narrowly avoided today after union members voted to accept a pay increase of around six per cent.

Maxine Looby, a branch coordinator at UCU in Oldham College, was helping to supervise the pickets.

Maxine Looey outside Oldham College

Maxine, who lives in Manchester, said: “Further Education hasn’t had a pay rise now in nine years and, like everybody else, we’re struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

“We’re here to say, we’ve worked hard, we’ve seen students through the pandemic.

“We always work hard – sometimes we work a day extra a week out of goodwill and we’re just saying that we deserve that pay, we’ve worked hard for it.

“We are here for students; we want to be the best we can be from them – because our conditions affect their learning conditions – and that’s why we’re here striking. It was a last resort.”

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Kate Clew, aged 37, is a Criminology lecturer at University Campus Oldham – part of Oldham College.

Kate Clew holding a picket sign

Kate, from Littleborough, said: “We haven’t seen a decent pay rise in nine years. Our working conditions are getting more and more intense, our workloads are increasing, and that impacts our students.

“Ultimately all we want is to provide a better service for our students.”

Asked if she thought the strikes could be having a negative effect on students’ learning, she said: “Striking is disruptive, but it’s one day and the benefit of a successful outcome to this campaign will positively impact students.”

Alun Francis, Oldham College chief executive and principal, said: “We’re proud and grateful for all our staff’s incredible work and totally sympathise with the financial pressures they, and other households, are facing.

“We wish financial circumstances enabled us to go even further with our pay offer but – like most other colleges and public institutions at this time – we’re constrained in what we can afford and also facing rising operational costs.

“We see every day how our staff’s work improves the lives of thousands of learners every year, but under-investment in Further Education restricts our ability to do more at this stage.

"We’ll continue to strongly push the case for improved sector funding and work with UCU to help make that possible.”