College lecturers reveal more strike dates ahead

COLLEGE lecturers have revealed more strike dates in Glasgow over pay disputes.

The Educational Institute of Scotland ( EIS) has warned they are preparing to escalate industrial action for fair pay.

College lecturers have been expecting a pay uplift at the beginning of September 2022 and, following over a year of protracted negotiations, College Employers Scotland continue to claim that their ‘ full and final’ pay offer of

£ 5000 over three years is a fair pay offer for college staff.

Members of the EISFurther Education Lecturers Association ( EIS- FELA) have been taking action since the middle of February, and have already taken a number of days of national strike action.

However, for many EISFELA members, the amount of money tabled in the second year of this offer sits below current public sector pay policy.

A spokesperson for the union said: “EIS- FELA does not accept that its members should be treated any differently to any other public sector worker and are simply seeking a pay offer which is reflective of their professional role in education and in parity with their colleagues in the rest of the public sector.”

At an EIS- FELA Executive Committee meeting, members have decided not to programme any strike action for the weeks beginning May 6 and May 13, as a show of goodwill and to afford an opportunity for continuing discussions in an attempt to reach a resolution.

In the event that no resolution is reached, then beginning on Monday, May 20, as an escalation of their current industrial dispute, a further programme of strikes will take place with EIS- FELA members in all colleges taking strike action each day for nine days over a threeweek period.