Scottish college lecturers announce strike dates

Lecturers at further education colleges across Scotland have announced more details of a planned series of strikes.

Members of the EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association were already set to go on strike on Thursday next week.

The union has now confirmed it plans to hold two strikes the following week and more after Easter.

If the dispute is not settled, they plan to go on strike three days a week indefinitely from the last week of April onwards.

The planned strike dates are:

• Thursday 17 March

• Tuesday 22 March and Wednesday 23 March

• Tuesday 12 April and Thursday 14 April

• Tuesday 19 April and Wednesday 20 April and Thursday 21 April

• Tuesday 26 April and Wednesday 27 April and Thursday 28 April

• Tuesday 3 May and Wednesday 4 May and Thursday 5 May

• Tuesday 10 May and Wednesday 11 May and Thursday 12 May

• Tuesday 17 May and Wednesday 18 May and Thursday 19 May

• Tuesday 24 May and Wednesday 25 May and Thursday 26 May

• Tuesday 31 May and Wednesday 1 June and Thursday 2 June

• Tuesday 7 June and Wednesday 8 June and Thursday 9 June

• Tuesday 14 June and Wednesday 15 June and Thursday 16 June

• Tuesday 21 June and Wednesday 22 June and Thursday 23 June

The dispute is linked to the return of national pay bargaining in the sector.

Lecturers at most colleges are angry about a 1% pay offer and are concerned about the differences between pay at different colleges.

They claim there are disparities of up to £10,000 a year.

The dispute at colleges in Glasgow is over a distinct issue - the union wants these colleges to join the national pay bargaining set-up.

Colleges Scotland, the body that represents Scotland's colleges, has said the pay offer which it put before the union is the best deal possible.