Perth College UHI to face disruptions over next five weeks due to lecturer strikes

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Perth College UHI students are set to face disruptions and cancellations to their classes over the next five weeks due to lecturer strikes.

Teaching staff who are members of the national trade union will take part in industrial action at the Crieff Road campus today and Wednesday (April 26-27) over a long-running pay dispute.Further strikes are set to follow on May 4-5, May 10-12, May 17-19 and May 24-26 if an agreement is not reached.Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) are taking the action seeking a “fair pay rise” that recognises their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.The union has been at loggerheads with Colleges Scotland over the matter since last June.And now, after negotiations over a one-off flat payment broke down, the lecturers’ union has informed colleges across Scotland of their intention to take industrial action, with faculty at Perth College following suit.The first of EIS-FELA’s planned 14 days of action across six weeks took place last Wednesday, where Perth College warned students that classes were “at risk of cancellation”.Colleges Scotland said the action was “disappointing” but the union argues that the offer fails to address rises in the cost of living and more than 70 per cent of members backed industrial action.

EIS-FELA branch secretary at Perth College Sara O’Hagan called the current pay offer “derisory”, adding: “EIS-FELA are taking industrial action in pursuit of a fair pay rise. “These negotiations started in June 2021 and the employers association have dragged it out until now.“The offer of £1000 is made up of £850 consolidated and a one-off ‘thank you’ payment of £150 for all of the work carried out by lecturers during