Lecturers at a Barnet college are taking part in a series of demonstrations in protest at the college’s failure to honour a nationally agreed pay rise.

This morning, over 70 lecturers and administration staff at Barnet and Southgate College attended a joint demonstration organised by the University and College Union (UCU), Unison and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) to demand a 0.7% pay rise, nationally agreed last August.

UCU Barnet and Hendon branch secretary David Armstrong said: “All our pay rises in recent years have been below inflation so our real pay has declined. We’re having to increase our pension contributions at the beginning of next month. We’re watching our pay go through the floor.”

Members of staff were further angered when they discovered through a Freedom of Information request six senior managers who left following the merger of Barnet and Southgate Colleges in November 2011, including the principal of Barnet College, walked away with a combined redundancy package of £409,000. The pay off as a proportion of salary was 30% higher than that offered to other members of staff.

Unison, UCU and ATL argue it would cost the college £173,000 to meet the national pay increase for all staff at the college – less than half the money spent on the six managers.

UCU regional official Chris Powell, said: “This looks like a shocking case of one rule for them and one for everyone else. While a handful of senior managers enjoy a £400,000 redundancy pot, members of staff are being refused a nationally-agreed pay rise that barely covers the cost of their increased pension contributions.

“The double standards being employed by the college are quite incredible. Now it won’t even explain to staff why it’s refusing to honour their pay rise, or why the departing managers got so handsomely rewarded.”

Today’s demonstration took place at 8.30am at the college’s Wood Street campus. 25 people attended a demonstration yesterday at the college’s Southgate campus and a further demonstration will happen on Thursday morning at 8.30am at the Grahame Park campus.

More demonstrations are expected to take place during the week after Easter.

This dispute comes after lecturers protested in May last year that, six months after the merger, former Barnet employees were enjoying better pay and conditions then their Southgate counterparts. The pay gap has since been levelled.

A spokesman for Barnet and Southgate College said: “The college is currently in discussion with the recognised trade unions regarding a possible staff award and is in the process of modelling the costs and impact of such changes.

"Since our merger, we have concentrated on harmonising terms and conditions between the two former colleges, which has resulted in staff receiving a total over £350,000 this financial year alongside other non-financial improvements.”

However Mr Armstrong said: “The time for talk was 8 months ago when the pay rise was agreed. Now is the time for them to honour the pay deal.”