Lecturers step up action over pay

College lecturers have backed an escalation of their fight for a pay rise – which could now see them refusing to process students’ assessment results.

EIS-Fela members voted in favour of action short of a strike on a turnout of 54.9 per cent, with 89.8 per cent voting ‘yes’.

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Today’s ballot result confirms that Scotland’s College lecturers remain fully committed to the EIS-Fela campaign for a fair cost of living pay increase.

“The turnout in this ballot is actually higher than the turnout in our previous ballot for strike action, providing clear evidence that the mood amongst college lecturers is hardening.”

The lecturers, who have already taken part in four strikes, are demanding a pay rise of around three per cent per year.

Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association’s director of employment services John Gribben criticised the decision to escalate action.

He said: “Only a third of all lecturers at Scotland’s colleges have voted to support EIS-Fela’s appalling ploy, and even among EIS-Fela members, only a minority supported this attack on students.

“We are extremely disappointed that the EIS-Fela is committed to recklessly gambling with the futures of college students.  It is not the behaviour anyone would expect from a professional body.

EIS-Fela branch secretary for Shetland College Andrew Anderson has previously said boycotting the input of results into college systems would be “regrettable”, but added there was no other option.