Police attend Oldham College strike over pay dispute

The three-day industrial action is part of a wave at colleges across the North West.

Picketing went ahead outside the Rochdale Road college, hours after University and College Union (UCU) bosses accused college management of trying to "bully and intimidate" staff.

This followed reports from members that they had been threatened with dismissal if they took part in strike action.

But the college has strongly denied the allegations, saying no threats of dismissal or disciplinary action had been made or would be in the future.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) attended the picket this morning after a caller reported that a van displaying protest messages was causing an obstruction as it was parked on the pavement.

GMP said officers determined there was no obstruction.

A police community support officer was seen entering and leaving the college after talking to picketers outside.

College lecturer UCU Vice President, Maxine Looby, was at the picket.

Maxine Looby (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

Maxine said: “We’ve been trying to negotiate with the employer to change the imposed two per cent to offer a fair pay rise in line with inflation, and unfortunately that hasn’t happened so we’re out here striking again for those same reasons.

“We have had talks with them, but their position hasn’t shifted yet. Two per cent isn’t a pay rise, it’s a pay decrease.

“Our members here are suffering from the cost-of-living crisis as everybody else is.”

The college says it has raised wages by 8.5 per cent over the past five years, and boosted salaries of the lowest-paid staff "significantly", by eight per cent last year.

But Maxine disputes this.

She said: “It’s not been significantly increased, the pay award that they imposed was two per cent, that’s nowhere near in line with inflation, so our members don’t stand to benefit from it – it’s a pay decrease, and that’s all we’ve been offered at this point.

“We want to get back in there and teach, that’s where we are and that’s what we’re good at, we’re waiting for our employer to recognise our worth and come back to the table and talk to us.”

Picketers tried to drum up support from passing motorists (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

In response, an Oldham College spokesperson said: “We completely understand our hard-working staff are affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

“We are talking with them about these issues, supporting them and also explaining how the college is affected.”

“Throughout that, we’ve repeatedly made clear that we respect every person’s right to take official industrial action and we wish to clarify that no threats of dismissal or other disciplinary action have ever been made - and nor would they be in future.

“We’re working hard to support our staff and – alongside other colleges – to lobby for measures to tackle the lack of investment in our sector.

“Our overall staff wages have been raised by 8.5 per cent over the past five years – above inflation – and we significantly boosted salaries of our lowest-paid staff by up to eight per cent last year.

“We look forward to continuing to have constructive discussions with all our staff and trade unions.”