College staff set to strike

Lecturers at Forth Valley College are to join a national strike over pay.

The move comes after lengthy negotiations between college management and academic staff claiming a “fair cost of living” pay increase.

A vote on industrial action, organised by the Educational Institute of Scotland Further Education Lecturers’ Association, took place on Wednesday. Turnout was 52 per cent and nine in 10 backed strike action.

Pam Currie, president of EIS-FELA, said strike action was a last resort caused by management’s unwillingness to negotiate a fair offer.

She said lecturers had done everything possible over the past two years of talks to attempt to reach a fair settlement.”

Principal of Forth Valley College, Dr Ken Thomson, hoped strike action would be avoided but insisted their focus would continue to be on delivery of the highest quality learning experiences for students, with as little disruption to them as possible.”

Lecturers at the college took part in a national strike early last year after accusing employers organisation Colleges Scotland of failing to honour a pay and conditions package agreed 12 months earlier. Colleges Scotland said they offered the lecturers an average nine per cent pay rise that would bring their salaries up to £40,000, with 56 days’ annual leave and 24 hours a week of teaching time. EIS_FELA said they were battling pay inequity.