Thomas Rotherham College staff will go on strike tomorrow

UNION members at Thomas Rotherham College will go on strike tomorrow to demand more funding for their students and college. 

National Education Union members working in Thomas Rotherham College will be taking a day of strike action on Wednesday over the "£700 million shortfall in funding for post-16 education". 

“Teaching staff numbers and support staff posts have fallen significantly due to the real-terms cuts, while at the same time student numbers have risen,” said an NEU spokesperson. 

“This is putting the future of sixth form colleges under serious threat. If the crisis continues to go unaddressed, it is students’ education that will continue to suffer.” 

The NEU said its members would be taking action to secure the funding needed to reverse job losses, class size increases, and cuts to teaching time and curriculum provision. They also want to sustain fair pay and their conditions and employment.

Lucy Hopley of the NEU said: “NEU members at Thomas Rotherham College have a very clear message for government, and their anger is growing.

"Each day they see the effects of shameful cuts to 16-19 funding, which have gone on much longer and much deeper than in any other school sector. 

Ms Hopley said sixth form colleges were “on their knees”, adding: “Serious investment is needed urgently to ensure that it can remain the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the education sector.

"Meeting the £700 million shortfall for post-16 would be a good start."

The college did not respond to requests for a comment.