College lecturers in Scotland begin voting in ballot over potential strikes
The ballot runs from today until 13 April
Lecturers in Scotland's colleges have begun voting on taking industrial action over a lack of progress in pay negotiations, a union has confirmed.
Members of the EIS Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-Fela) are being balloted following what the union says is a lack of progress in pay negotiations.
Employers have not improved on an offer of a 2% salary uplift, which was rejected by union negotiators before Christmas.
The statutory ballot runs from 20 March until 13 April and members of EIS-Fela are being asked to indicate whether they are willing to take strike action or industrial action short of strike action.
Details on potential strikes:
Industrial action would see a marking boycott and a withdrawal of goodwill which could pose a disruption to students.
College lecturers have engaged in strike action eight times over the last nine years.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said lecturers had "no other option" than to consider striking once again.
She said: "College employers must return to the negotiating table with an offer far above the insulting 2% offer that has already been rejected by the EIS-Fela negotiators.
"The Scottish Government also has a responsibility to ensure that college lecturers, who are vital public sector workers, are afforded a pay rise that addresses the ongoing cost-of-living crisis."
Lecturers claim they are being treated less favourably than other workers, in both Scottish education and across the public sector.
EIS-Fela president, Charlie Montgomery, said, "College leaders must get serious about ending the cycle of industrial action in the Further Education sector and avoid widespread disruption to college provision prior to the summer break.
"This begins by ensuring their lecturing staff receive a fair pay award.
"Additionally, the Scottish Government cannot avoid its responsibility to ensure that public sector college lecturers receive a fair pay rise, especially when they have directly intervened in other public sector pay disputes."
Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.