Support staff at Scottish colleges vote for strike action in pay dispute
The walk outs are likely to take place before the summer
Learning support staff in Scottish colleges have voted to take strike action in a dispute over pay.
Workers including librarians, IT specialists, technicians, administrative staff, cleaners and canteen staff are set to walk out before the summer.
Unison members rejected a 2% pay offer and called for pay grades and roles to be harmonised across the sector.
The four-week ballot saw 92% of members vote for strike action on a 62% turnout.
Union officials say a substantially improved pay offer is needed to avert the walkout.
More on the reasons behind the result
Unison Scotland further education branch secretary Chris Greenshields said: "College staff have voted overwhelmingly for strike action.
"They're calling on employers to get serious and sit down with Unison to avoid a summer of discontent for the sector.
"The current 2% offer is derisory and does little to protect staff from cost-of-living increases.
"It's over seven months since pay rises should have been in staff wage packets and the employers seem clueless about how to avoid yet another crisis in the sector.
"The Scottish government should stop sitting on its hands and sort out this mess.
"Taking strike action and disrupting plans for the new year is the last thing Unison members want.
"But they have no choice, they simply cannot afford to go on like this."
Scottish Government response
Further Education Minister Graeme Dey said:
“It is for the college unions and the employers to negotiate pay and terms and conditions voluntarily, in the spirit of collaboration and co-operation. The Scottish Government is not directly involved in the national collective bargaining process.
“It is important that unions and college employers continue to hold talks to avoid any potential industrial action and subsequent disruption to learners.
“We expect management and unions to make every effort to reach a settlement that is fair and affordable.”