Up to 100 staff at Leeds College of Building are claimed to have joined the one-day walkout, according to the University and College Union.

The action was triggered by college plans to make redundancies and cut some staff wages by up to £10,000 a year.

Lecturers who survive the cull have been told to expect an increase in working hours of up to 20%, which the union claims is an attempt to deliver teaching on the cheap.

College principal Ian Billyard said 39 posts were at threat of redundancy and claimed the college had entered into full consultation with those affected.

He said alternative options had been offered to try to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies.

Union regional official John Giddins said yesterday: “We will not stand by and watch the college try and deliver teaching on the cheap. Nor will we allow the college to use the current funding challenges in further education as an excuse to make cuts when it is in a healthy financial position.”