A dispute between college lecturers and employers that led to strike action earlier this month is over, after both sides came to agreement.
The dispute, which centred on the claim that retiring lecturers were being replaced by less qualified and lower-paid assessors, had reached stalemate earlier this month, resulting in two days of strike action as lecturers at college campuses across Scotland walked out in protest.
Lecturing staff gathered at colleges across the region, including at Tayside, Fife and Angus campuses and also at Perth UHI in a bid to protect jobs.
However, an interim agreement, halting a further nine days of planned strikes had been hatched between EIS-FELA – Further Education Lecturers Association and employers body Colleges Scotland, which offered a glimmer of hope that a resolution between the two sides could be agreed.
Now, both sides have found an agreement, ending the dispute.
‘Great news’
Commenting on the agreement, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS-FELA has ratified the outcome of negotiations with Colleges Scotland with a view to ending the dispute over the protection of the role of lecturer in Scotland’s Further Education Colleges.
“The EIS has noted increasing calls from many politicians, including the First Minister, for a negotiated agreement to be reached to end this dispute and we believe that a solution, which protects the interests of lecturers and students, is agreed.”
A spokesperson for the Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association, hailed the agreement as ” great news”.
They added: “The Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association has unanimously ratified a resolution to the dispute as agreed with the EIS-FELA last week.
“We welcome the EIS-FELA’s acceptance of the resolution, and their commitment to end strike action.
“This is great news for students and their lecturers.”