Pay Negotiations Response

The AoC final pay recommendation, of 1% applied to all salaries or the sum of £250 where this is more beneficial, focuses on affordability within a tough funding environment for colleges. AoC and the Trade Unions have committed to jointly campaign on funding for FE; to seek to close the gap with schools and to address the fundamental recruitment and retention challenges in the sector. There was also a willingness to meet again in January 2018 to review any wider developments on public sector pay and the funding position of the sector at that time. David Hughes, AoC Chief Executive, said: “We share the views of the Unions that a skilled and well rewarded workforce is critical to the future success of FE. A major part of the AoC case for better funding to Government is to allow the reward packages colleges can offer to be competitive. Every college wants to attract and retain the best people, but it is clear that cuts to FE funding over the last decade have disproportionately hit colleges, impacting directly on their ability to reward staff. We wish we were in a position to make a better recommendation today, but current funding levels for colleges do not allow us to do so. We will work closely with the Unions in the coming months to campaign for fair funding for colleges and address the under investment which the sector has faced for too long.”