College Lecturers Call For Strike Action

Scottish college lecturers are set to ballot for strike action after rejecting a 1% salary increase.

Union members have voted for a 'co-ordinated and sustained' campaign for a fair pay deal, as huge pay differences have emerged among colleges across the country.

The EIS is calling on the Scottish Government to get involved, to ensure college bosses make what they consider to be a reasonable pay offer.

The final management offer came after almost a year of protracted discussions. Union bosses say it would 'do nothing' to address pay inequality.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: "Today's special conference has decided the actions that should now be taken to pursue a satisfactory settlement on lecturers' pay. 

"The EIS-FELA Executive had already unanimously rejected the management side's unreasonable 'final' offer and today's conference has now delivered an equally damning verdict on the offer. 

"It is profoundly disappointing that, in the first set of pay negotiations within the national bargaining framework, the management side has dragged discussions on for almost a year and then presented a final offer that would only compound issues of pay inequality throughout the sector. The EIS will now begin the process of balloting our Further Education lecturer members for industrial action following today's conference. 

"The Scottish Government must now step in to ensure that national bargaining - a key manifesto commitment - delivers a fair and acceptable pay offer from college management."