College lecturers urged to accept pay deal to end strikes

An increased pay offer has been made to college lecturers in the long-running strike

Scotland's largest teaching union has recommended its members accept a new pay offer from college employers in an effort to resolve long-running strikes.

College lecturers in the EIS-FELA teaching union have gone on strike several times over pay since 2022.

The latest offer would see staff get a rise of 4.14% next year - up from the 3% previously offered - on top of a £5,000 pay increase covering the three previous academic years.

The union called off strikes which were due to take place this week as a token of goodwill in anticipation of a new offer.

It said there had been "significant progress" in meetings with the Scottish government and colleges.

The new offer has been made possible with new Scottish government money which guarantees additional funding for the fourth year of the deal.

It also made clear that there would be no compulsory redundancies.

The union previously claimed lecturers were not getting as good a deal as other public sector workers and feared colleges would need to cut jobs and services to pay for any increases.

Additional funding

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said the strikes had been called off "as an act of good faith" after the union met the minister for further education, Graeme Dey, and college representatives.

She said lecturers had "no choice but to engage in this programme of action" and it would now be up to members to decide whether to bring the dispute to an end.

Members will receive information on the ballot later this afternoon.

Ms Bradley said: "This has been a long and painful campaign, with EIS-FELA members forced to engage in a long-running programme of industrial action to secure a fair pay offer from college employers and assurance that this will not come at the cost of jobs.

"The gains which have been achieved in this offer have been hard won, and it is of great credit to our members that they have taken this stand and fought hard to secure this improved offer from colleges."

College Employers Scotland said the offer "further cements Scottish college lecturers as having the best pay and conditions of any college lecturers across the UK".

Director Gavin Donoghue said he hoped the improved offer would put an end to the long-running pay dispute and "prevent any further disruption to staff and students at the start of the new academic year".

He said: “We urge EIS-FELA members to accept this substantial pay offer if it is put to them in a formal ballot. This would allow colleges to get back to providing the world-class educational experience our students deserve.

“Employers have also requested the trade union cancel all industrial action while the pay ballot takes place, so that students do not continue to suffer any further disruption to their learning.”

The union said that while planned strike action was still suspended, the programme of action short of strike remains in place.

Higher and further education minister Graeme Dey said welcomed the new pay offer "after significant efforts on both sides to break the impasse and find a resolution to this dispute".

“This agreement would represent a strong package for college staff, despite the pressures on public finances, and I would hope that union members will accept this deal," he said.

“I have sought to engage with both the employers and the union throughout this process and this week agreed that provision will be made in the 2025/26 college budget allocations for an additional £4.5m to support the cost of this pay deal.

“I know all sides want to minimise disruption to students who have now returned for the start of the new academic term and that’s why it’s so pivotal that this dispute is settled.”