College lecturers in Dumfries staged strike action on Wednesday.
And they are planning more walkouts in a dispute over pay.
The Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) and College Employers Scotland have been at loggerheads for months.
College management said the action was “disappointing” after an improved offer was proposed at negotiations two weeks ago.
But the employees’ union argues that the offer fails to address rises in the cost of living and more than 70 per cent of members backed the industrial
action.
Gavin Donoghue, director of College Employers Scotland, said: “College lecturers in Scotland are the best paid and enjoy the best terms and conditions in the UK, so it was disappointing the EIS-FELA rejected the most generous pay offer we could have made at a time college budgets are facing a cut of £51.9 million.
“The offer to lecturers included a £150 one-off payment, recognising their contributions during the pandemic and, along with an £850 consolidated payment, was a higher pay offer than that already made to and accepted by teachers, civil servants, police, and fire service.
“I hope the EIS-FELA negotiators accept there simply is no more money available and move to end this dispute.
“We remain available to meet should they have any reasonable and affordable proposals to end this disruptive and unnecessary dispute.”
The EIS-FELA is planning to hold 14 days of action across six weeks between now and April.
EIS general secretary, Larry Flanagan, said: “An EIS survey, conducted in late 2021, found that more thanhalf of the lecturers who responded had experienced higher workloads and higher levels of stress during the pandemic.
“A similar number of respondents reported they had received no wellbeing check in from their employers.
“Statements comparing the terms and conditions of college lecturers in Scotland with those elsewhere in the UK ignore the fact these conditions of service, including pay, have been hard won through EIS-FELA members taking collective action, which has been repeatedly opposed by senior management and their representatives.
“EIS-FELA remain committed to negotiating an end to this dispute.
“However there has been no formal invitation from the management side of the NJNC for further talks.”
A Dumfries and Galloway College spokesperson said: “We will continue to make electronic resources available via Microsoft Teams and LearnNet so that our students can continue to prepare for their assessments or take part in self-directed study.
“Study spaces will also be made available for students who wish to use them.
“The College Employers Scotland (of which Dumfries and Galloway College are a member) are fully committed to negotiating with EIS-FELA to find a positive resolution to this strike.”
