Further education lecturers to end action as pay offer accepted

A union picket line at Queen's University Belfast in February 2023

An agreement has been reached to end industrial action by lecturers at further education colleges in Northern Ireland.

A new and improved pay offer made earlier this month was accepted by "a large majority" of members of the UCU and the NASUWT unions.

The pay offer included the minimum lecturers' pay point being uplifted to £30,000 from £24,496.

All other lecturers' pay points will be be increased by 8.4% plus £1,000.

In a joint statement, the unions said: "UCU and the NASUWT would like to recognise the hard work of our memberships, without their determination this offer would not have been made.

"There is still work to do around parity for lecturers' with the teachers' pay scales and we will lobby the Department and College Employers Forum to ensure that our members are being rewarding for the work they do and the value they bring to NI economy."

Economy Minister Conor Murphy welcomed the unions' decision.

"I am pleased that my department has been able to facilitate this pay award, which has been accepted by unions.

"Further education lecturers are vital in providing many of the skills that grow our economy.

"I hope we can now work together to build a thriving further education sector as this will be key to delivering my economic vision."

In March, Northern Ireland's main teaching unions voted to accept a pay offer made by Education Minister Paul Givan.

It ended long-running strike action involving the five main teaching unions.