College strike dates suspended as ‘significant progress’ made on pay dispute

A number of college strikes have been suspended after “significant progress” was made during a series of talks regarding pay.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), Scotland’s largest teaching union, has announced that strikes planned in colleges on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week have been halted.

It comes as the EIS Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA), held talks on Monday morning with College Employers Scotland (CES) and the Scottish Government’s minister for further and higher education, Graeme Dey.

EIS says it understands an improved pay offer will be made in the coming days.

General secretary Andrea Bradley said: “EIS-FELA representatives met with representatives of Scotland’s Colleges after meeting the minister responsible for further education, this morning.

“Significant progress was made at this meeting, with the result that EIS-FELA and the EIS have decided to suspend three days of strike action, scheduled for this week.

“This is intended as an act of good faith and in the interests of supporting students, and is on the understanding that an improved offer will be made formally by CES in the coming days.”

She added: “While a final settlement has yet to be reached, EIS-FELA negotiators were significantly encouraged by today’s developments and believed it appropriate to suspend this week’s strikes.

“Based on discussions this morning, we remain hopeful that a resolution can be struck that will finally see a fair pay settlement that will allow lecturers to return to working as normal, and to do what they do best, which is supporting their students in colleges across Scotland to learn and progress.

“Discussions will now continue to iron out final details. Once a revised offer is formally on the table, our intention is to put this to EIS-FELA members in a ballot.

“Today has brought us closer to an end to this long-running dispute, and we hope that discussions will now move quickly and smoothly towards a fair agreement for all parties and a return for students to the uninterrupted, quality learning and teaching that they need and deserve.”

A CES spokesperson said: “We are pleased that this week’s EIS-FELA strikes have been suspended in anticipation of further progress on the current pay dispute.

“These talks will continue this week, and employers will carry on making every effort to resolve this prolonged industrial dispute for the sake of students and staff.

“Colleges will keep students updated about the industrial action scheduled for the coming weeks.”

Minister for higher and further education Graeme Dey said: “We welcome the move from the EIS-FELA to suspend the current strike action and create space for further progress to be made between the Union and College Employers Scotland (CES).

“It is also heartening to see that students returning to college for the start of the academic year won’t now be met with immediate disruption.”