25 January 2024 , 09:11
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Yoga, aerobics and Pilates teachers from Colchester City Council are considering strike action over pay.
They claim they have not received a pay rise for almost 10 years. In contrast, Unison revealed that instructors at the council's Leisure World facility have their salaries determined differently to other council staff members.
The rates for yoga and pilates have been static at £25 per session since 2015, while aerobics instructors get £22.50 each session. One instructor, Arlene, commented: "It's a wonderful community at Leisure World and the people taking classes are so supportive of each other."
She added: "But I don't even reach the minimum wage for the classes I teach, with all the preparation that goes into them. It doesn't feel like we're even considered to be working for the council. They've never increased the market rate. Everyone else in the building gets a pay rise but we're forgotten."
Highlighting their grievances, Unison's Eastern area organiser Emma Aboubaker noted: "Instructors are bending over backwards to provide the best service they can for people trying to get fit and healthy in Colchester, but bosses can't stretch to more than one pay rise a decade."
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Aboubaker highlighted the important role these professionals play by stating: "Fitness instructors provide a vital service for the city's public health, but they're also bringing paying residents into leisure centres. They deserve a proper pay rise."
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