College lecturers begin rolling strike action in pay dispute

College lecturers have begun a rolling programme of strike action in a dispute over pay and job security.

It comes after EIS-Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-Fela) rejected a pay offer from College Employers Scotland that the union claimed could result in more than 400 lecturing job losses across the further education sector.

EIS-Fela members at New College Lanarkshire were the first to walk out on Monday and will be followed by those at branches at all of Scotland’s other further education colleges in a rolling programme over the next two-and-a-half weeks.

Last Thursday, EIS-Fela members in all of Scotland’s colleges walked out in a national day of strike action, with hundreds gathering at a rally outside the Scottish Parliament on the same day.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “College lecturers deserve so much more from their employers and the Scottish Government.

“Beginning at New College Lanarkshire today, EIS-Fela members will undertake 12 days of rolling action and their frustration is not only wholly justified, but also growing.

“They have waited over one year, during a cost-of-living crisis, for a pay award and are faced with an offer, however it is spun, that their employers have stated will cost potentially over 400 lecturing jobs.

“Aside from the real-world impact of job losses on individuals and their families, each lecturing job lost is a cut to course provision and opportunities for students.”

The strike marks an escalation in the pay dispute, following months where EIS-Fela members have engaged in action short of strike.

This has comprised a resulting boycott – where members do not enter the results of assessments into the college results systems – and work to contract.

Following the programme of rolling strike action, members of EIS-Fela will undertake three days of targeted strike action in the constituencies of First Minister Humza Yousaf, Deputy First Minister Shona Robison and Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth.

EIS-Fela national president Anne Marie Harley said: “Following a strong first day of national strike action, members of the EIS-Fela are resolute in their campaign for fair pay and secure jobs.

“The Scottish Government must evidence its commitment to further education and no longer seek to distance itself while colleges are cut to the bone and college lecturers are already losing their livelihoods, with more likely to follow.”

EIS-Fela said the offer made by employers was a flat-rated offer of £2,000 for 2022 and £1,500 for 2023, which it described as well below inflation and claimed is tied to significant job losses across the sector.

College support staff from other unions are also taking rolling strike action in a separate dispute over pay.

Gavin Donoghue, director of College Employers Scotland, said the strike action is “deeply disappointing” but the vast majority of colleges will remain open.

He said: “Our data indicates that less than half of the lecturer workforce took part in last week’s national strike action and only around a third of support staff participated. This low turnout shows that the majority of lecturers and support staff would rather support their students than strike for an increase to an already fair pay offer.

“College Employers Scotland has provided a full and final pay offer to the EIS-Fela and the support staff trade unions (Unison, Unite and GMB) for a cumulative £3,500 pay rise.

“This offer would provide an average pay rise of 8% for lecturers and 11%, on average, for support staff. For support staff earning less than £25,000, the average increase would be over 14%. For lecturers at the start of the pay scale, the increase would be around 10% to a starting salary of almost £39,000 a year.

“Given the fair pay offer already on the table, and last week’s low strike turnout, we hope the EIS-Fela, Unison and Unite will reconsider their plans for rolling strike action across the sector.

“College Employers Scotland remains open to meeting the trade unions any time to avoid further disruptive strikes.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “While operational decisions on pay and staffing matters are the responsibility of individual colleges, the Scottish Government remains concerned by the impact this current action is having on students.

“We expect employers and trade unions to make every effort to reach a settlement which is both fair and affordable with a view of bringing this industrial action to a close.

“The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role that colleges play, which is why we have allocated £787 million in funding for 2023-24, despite the unprecedented financial challenges facing government.”