Union members on strike at Shrewsbury colleges
Members of the National Education Union who work in Shrewsbury Colleges Group were on strike this morning to defend their pay, working conditions and employment.
They claim that cuts to 16-19 funding have been deeper and have gone on for longer than any other school sector.
A delegation from the union attended a rally in Westminster and marched on the Department for Education to deliver a demand for the £700 million shortfall in funding for Post-16 education.
The union says the cuts impacts on the union's members and also students' education in this highly successful sector and is putting the future of sixth form colleges under serious threat.
Members are taking action to secure the funding needed to sustain fair pay, conditions and employment including reversing job losses, class size increases and cuts to teaching time and curriculum provision.
Jean Evanson, National Executive Member of the National Education Union, said: “Our Sixth Form Colleges and the staff who work in them have been hung out to dry by this Government.
"Funding cuts have had a savage impact on pay, conditions and jobs and have impacted on students in ways that are totally unacceptable.
"Strike action is always a last option but our members believe that it is necessary in order to solve our dispute and help save the sector.”
Picket lines were in place at the English Bridge, Welsh Bridge and London Road campuses.
