The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Union members give backing to ‘hard-won’ deal on pay
College lecturers have overwhelmingly backed a “hard-won” deal on pay, union leaders said.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) announced members in its Further Education Lecturers’ Association (FELA) had voted by 96% to 4% to accept a revised offer.
The two-year deal that has now been agreed will give staff either 1% of their salary or £300, whichever is greater, along with a further payment of £100.
In 2016-17 there will be a flat-rate pay rise of £450 and the colleges and the union will work to “jointly develop a roadmap towards a harmonised workforce for the future”.
EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “This pay agreement shows what can be achieved by a group of employees standing together, through their union, to protect their rights.”
Colleges Scotland chief executive Shona Struthers hailed the vote as a “welcome step forward” and said its result “will be a relief to college students across Scotland who are undertaking coursework and studying for exams”.