College lecturers strike in ongoing pay dispute

College lecturers around Scotland have walked out on strike in a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland Further Education Lecturer Association (EIS-Fela) are taking action after talks last week did not resolve the dispute, which dates back to 2022.

EIS-Fela submitted a revised four year pay claim on Thursday in a bid to break the deadlock but said employers did not offer enough progress for the union to consider suspending strike action this week.

Lecturing staff in colleges around Scotland walked out on Monday on the first of nine strike days in May and June, following previous strike action.

College employers are offering a £5,000 consolidated pay rise over three academic years from September 2022.

An EIS spokesperson said it was “extremely disappointing” the meeting last week did not achieve enough “tangible progress” for the union to consider suspending the strike action.

The spokesperson said: “Although a revised pay claim was tabled to College Employers Scotland (CES) at the meeting, the employer’s side was unable to offer any assurances on certain elements of the pay uplift as well other parts of the claim.

“College lecturing staff want to be back in colleges, delivering classes and helping their students achieve their qualifications.

“However, they will continue to fight in order to receive a suitable pay rise which addresses some of the financial pain and stress they have had to endure during the worst cost of-living crisis in recent times.”

A CES spokesperson said: “The EIS-Fela has tabled a new, four-year pay claim which will be carefully considered. We urge the trade union to suspend all industrial action while this happens.

“It is bewildering that the EIS-Fela is calling its members out on further strike days which could cost individual lecturers over £1,000 and will not lead to an improved pay offer from employers.

“With strikes and a resulting boycott scheduled to take place during the exam period, students will, once again, be the ones who suffer. However, learners can be reassured that colleges will put in place mitigations to minimise any disruption.

“As the summer holiday period approaches, college employers are keen to get pay rises into lecturers’ pockets. The quickest way to do this is for the EIS-Fela to follow the example of its sister unions, cancel its industrial action and ballot its members on the employers’ full and final pay offer.”