College leaders’ record on pay is a “disgrace”, a trade union leader has claimed.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU),  told her members gathered at the annual congress in Manchester that the union needed to hold employers to account for “seven years of austerity”.

She said: “It is has become a cliché to say that FE deserves better. But with hundreds of teachers losing their jobs in the last few months, it is maybe more appropriate to say that our country deserves better, too.

“When it comes to pay, the reality of that diet of cuts is that our members’ average hourly rate is now some 13 per cent below that of school teachers. What a message to send to those considering a career in FE.”

Just this week the UCU claimed a victory as a deadlock was broken with the Association of Colleges, which had refused to begin discussing this year’s pay claim while disputes over past years were continuing.

‘Proud’ of strike ballots

Ms Hunt said it was “no wonder” that staff in FE colleges had had enough of “terrible pay increases” and “endless rounds of job cuts”. She also hit out at principals, whom she accused of preaching austerity for others but rewarding themselves with “bumper pay rises”.

College accounts published last month showed that 17 colleges paid at least £200,000 in principal salary in 2016-17.

Following a succession of strikes at colleges in recent months, Ms Hunt today praised the high turnout for the local ballots. “In FE, we have won ballot after ballot for local action on pay and jobs - beating the 50 per cent turnout time after time - delivering a real mandate to drive up pay or protect jobs,” she said.

“And within 12 months, a turnout of more than 50 per cent has become the expectation within UCU rather than the exception. I am proud of that. We are now a leader in the trade union movement when it comes to participation and getting the vote out.”