Runshaw College accepts 7% pay offer as national FE dispute continues
The agreement follows a settlement at York College last week and brings to 20 the number of colleges where the University and College Union (UCU)
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Staff at Runshaw College in Leyland have voted to accept a 7% pay offer, ending their involvement in the England wide further education dispute and planned strike action.The agreement follows a settlement at York College last week and brings to 20 the number of colleges where the University and College Union (UCU) has concluded negotiations since its ballot opened in October.
Thirty-one colleges remain in dispute over pay and conditions, with strikes scheduled for 14, 15 and 16 January 2026. The union has urged leaders at those institutions to reopen talks, arguing that improved offers would help narrow the pay gap between school and college teachers.
UCU, working with sister unions the National Education Union, GMB, UNISON and Unite, continues to press for what it calls a New Deal for further education. The programme seeks pay parity with schoolteachers, national workload agreements and a binding national bargaining framework across the sector.
Employer body the Association of Colleges has recommended a 4% uplift for 2025–26, though colleges are not required to follow its guidance. According to UCU, the average college teacher earns £9,000 less than a teacher in schools.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “I want to congratulate our members at Runshaw College for winning a pay award that helps bring their salaries into line with their counterparts in schools.
“We have now resolved our dispute at 20 colleges and, to avoid disruption on campus come the New Year, leaders at colleges where we are still in dispute need to make meaningful offers and show they value their staff.