Sparsholt: Three-day strike starts at college over pay

Union members at a land and environment college have begun a three-day strike over pay.

The University and College Union (UCU) said Sparsholt College in Hampshire had offered £850 as well as one-off payments totalling £450.

The union said the college had reserves of £7m and had paid its principal Julie Milburn an extra £5,000, taking her salary to £156,000.

The college said only 22 out of 700 staff had voted to take strike action.

In a statement, it said: "We are saddened that an extremely small number of our staff members... recently voted to reject the improved pay award and may be prepared to take strike action.

"Our staff will always be our most valuable asset and we remain committed to remunerating our staff as best we are able."

The UCU said managers could "easily afford to pay staff a fair wage".

Its statement said: "Sparsholt has over £7m cash in the bank and has run a surplus for the past two years.

"The college spends just 60% of its total income on staff, well below the English average of 68%."

Sparsholt College has asked students to attend classes as normal.

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