COLLEGE strikes have been called off after productive meetings between the lecturers’ union and the Scottish Government.
Strikes had been due to go ahead this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but have been cancelled as an “act of good faith” by the teaching union EIS-Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA).
The union said the strikes were called off in expectation of a better pay offer from colleges.
Members of EIS-FELA will still undertake action short of a strike, including a “resulting” boycott which means lecturers will not enter the results of exams into college results systems.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said she expected a better pay deal “in the coming days”.
She added: “While a final settlement has yet to be reached, EIS-FELA negotiators were significantly encouraged by today’s developments and believed it appropriate to suspend this week’s strikes.
“Based on discussions this morning, we remain hopeful that a resolution can be struck that will finally see a fair pay settlement that will allow lecturers to return to working as normal, and to do what they do best which is supporting their students in colleges across Scotland to learn and progress.”
Bradley said that once an improved offer was on the table, this would be put to members for a vote.
A spokesperson for College Employers Scotland, the representative body for colleges, said: "We are pleased that this week’s EIS-FELA strikes have been suspended in anticipation of further progress on the current pay dispute.
“These talks will continue this week, and employers will carry on making every effort to resolve this prolonged industrial dispute for the sake of students and staff.
“Colleges will keep students updated about the industrial action scheduled for the coming weeks.”
Minister for Higher and Further Education Graeme Dey said: “We welcome the move from the EIS-FELA to suspend the current strike action and create space for further progress to be made between the Union and College Employers Scotland (CES).
“It is also heartening to see that students returning to college for the start of the academic year won’t now be met with immediate disruption.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Earlier this year, the First Minister accepted an invitation to join Former Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford at an Edinburgh International Book Festival event.
"The First Minister was then unable to participate due to planned engagements, however changes to his diary earlier this month mean he can now attend as originally planned."
