Deal reached to end Tayside lecturers’ strike

“This

is great news for students and their lecturers

Adispute between college lecturers and employers, which led to strike action earlier this month, has been called off.

The dispute, which centred on claims that retiring lecturers were being replaced by less qualified and lower paid assessors, was at a stalemate earlier this month, triggering two days of strikes as lecturers at college campuses across Scotland walked out.

Lecturing staff gathered at colleges around the region, including at Tayside, Fife and Angus campuses and also at Perth UHI, in a bid to protect jobs.

However, an interim agreement, halting a further nine days of planned strikes was struck between EIS-FELA – Further Education Lecturers Association – and the employers’ body, Colleges Scotland which offered a glimmer of hope that a resolution could be achieved.

And now both sides have reached an agreement to end the dispute.

Commenting on the agreement, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS-FELA has ratified the outcome of negotiations with Colleges Scotland with a view to ending the dispute over the protection of the role of lecturers in Scotland’s further education colleges.

“The EIS has noted increasing calls from many politicians, including the first minister, for a negotiated agreement to be reached to end this dispute and we believe that a solution, which protects the interests of lecturers and students, is agreed.”

A spokesman for the Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association, hailed the agreement as “great news”.

They added: “The Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association has unanimously ratified a resolution to the dispute as agreed with the EIS-FELA last week.

“We welcome the EISFELA’S acceptance of the resolution, and their commitment to end strike action.

“This is great news for students and their lecturers.”

WALKOUT: Striking lecturers were picketing outside Fife College in Kirkcaldy.