Planned Industrial Action January 14, 15 and 16 2026

We are aware of the planned strike action by University and College Union (UCU) on January 14, 15, and 16, following a nationwide ballot of members.

We respect the right of colleagues to take industrial action and remain committed to constructive dialogue with staff representatives in order to reach a resolution that works for everyone.

As a government-funded organisation, we have to work within the constraints of our budget to deliver stability and long-term sustainability. Bournemouth and Poole College made a 3% rise in summer 2025, which was in line with our circumstances, and have raised pay across all staff members by a cumulative increase of 15.8% since summer 2022. We are committed to keeping pay under review and, if funding increases, will evaluate the opportunity to raise it further. We regret that we are not in a position to do this at this time.

We continue to work hard to ensure we maximise what our staff receive – they work incredibly hard and are highly skilled. We keep that at the forefront of our minds as we continue to work with union colleagues. We are also actively working on process improvements, including further training for staff on digital systems and techniques, which will help reduce workload over time.

Our priority is always our students, and we have contingency plans in place to minimise any potential disruption. The college will remain open and we will be contacting students who may be affected and keeping students, parents and staff informed throughout.