Isle Of Wight College Staff Begin Three-Day Strike Over Pay And Workload

Staff at the Isle of Wight College have begun a three-day strike from today (Wednesday 14 January) to Friday (16 January), calling for improved pay, fairer workload management, and national support for college staff.

In a statement, striking staff said the action is aimed at securing pay in line with state-maintained schools, implementing a formal workload policy to reduce stress, and gaining the college’s support for national bargaining to address funding and wage disparities across the country.

Currently, the college operates a 39-hour working week, longer than most similar colleges on the south coast, and staff say a lack of clear workload policies has created inconsistencies and additional pressure.

While the college has awarded a 4% pay increase, striking staff argue this does not match the 10% increase given to school teachers and leaves the gap between FE and school pay significant.

A college staff member said:

“I’m striking because I care deeply about my students and the future of education.

"Teaching is a demanding, highly skilled job, but pay no longer reflects the training, workload and emotional strain involved.

"Many dedicated teachers—new and experienced—are leaving because they simply can’t make it work anymore, and that loss is felt by students and local communities.”

The strike affects classes across the college, though staff say they look forward to returning as soon as agreements can be reached.

They emphasised that the action is not taken lightly and aims to ensure that teachers are fairly valued for their work and contribution to the Island community.