Talks fail to halt strikes

A strike by college lecturers is to go ahead after fresh talks between management and union leaders ended without agreement.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has said Colleges Scotland failed to deliver on a deal agreed last year but the body insists the offer it has put forward is fair.

Both parties agreed to a meeting held through Acas in a bid to resolve the dispute but the EIS said no progress was made and a strike tomorrow will go ahead.

College staff walked out on in March 2016 and had more than 30 days of action planned before accepting a revised offer from Colleges Scotland, with staff promised wage rises as well as a more “harmonised” pay deal across the workforce.

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the teaching union, said: “Management have, once again, refused to honour the deal they signed up to a year ago and so the planned strike will go ahead as scheduled.”

Colleges Scotland said it is willing to take part in further talks. A spokeswoman said: “The deal put on the table is not only fair but beneficial as it equates to an average pay rise of 9% for lecturers over the next two years.”