College pay row settled

Perth College UHI students will be breathing a collective sigh of relief after unions representing college staff confirmed its members have accepted a new pay offer following several days of strike action earlier this year.

Unison has now written to the Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association signalling agreement to its latest offer in a move that ends a dispute that has rumbled on for the best part of a year.

The dispute came about because college employers – in opting to give all further education employees a flat rate pay rise this year – decided lecturers should get more money than administrative and other support staff.

But following strike action by the Educational Institute of Scotland, the GMB and Unison at Easter and in the autumn college employers made an improved flat-rate payment offer at recent pay talks in Stirling.

It means almost all staff in the further education sector in Scotland are to receive the same £550 flat-rate payment.

Unison Scotland’s regional manager John Gallacher said:“This is an historic pay deal showing fair pay settlements can be achieved in Scotland.

“The experience of the 2016 pay round negotiations has not been a pleasant one but now it’s time to move on. There are many more matters to resolve, including a new pay and grading structure, which will require mature negotiations and more funding for the sector.”