Furious lecturers are poised to strike over a “risible” pay offer from college bosses.
Students at further education colleges across Tayside and Fife face disruption if education trade union the EIS follows through its threat of industrial action.
Staff have been offered a 1% pay award the same in cash terms that was tabled and rejected just a few months earlier in the year-long dispute.
Calls have been made to resolve the row to prevent young people’s education being damaged but many lecturers are convinced that striking is now the only viable route to take.
An emergency conference is being held on November 13, when the EIS said it is “highly likely” the pay offer will be rejected and a move made towards industrial action.
Sara O’Hagan, a Perth College UHI lecturer and EIS branch secretary, said: “Staff are both angry and disappointed. I think there will be an absolute backlash over this. We will not stand for it. Striking is the last option because students are at the heart of everything we do but we have to send a message that this is unacceptable.”
Scottish Conservative spokeswoman for young people Liz Smith branded the threat “very regrettable” and called for talks to avert action that would lead to a “detrimental impact on students’ education”.
Lecturers are also angry at the failure to harmonise pay scales across the country, with some staff earning £7,000 less than those doing the same job at other colleges.
The national pay offer was made collectively by senior college managers on the management panel of the national joint negotiating committee.
Students at Dundee and Angus, Perth and Fife colleges would be affected if industrial action is supported by EIS members.
Senior college leaders say the pay offer was made amid multi-million-pound cuts to budgets.
A Fife College spokeswoman said: “The College Board would be acting beyond its powers to agree an unaffordable pay award which placed the college in a financially untenable position.
“In simple terms we must live within our means and it is difficult to see without an increase in future Government funding how this issue can be resolved.”
D&A College principal Grant Ritchie said: “We understand that discussions are ongoing at a national level and hope that a solution can be reached.”
A Perth College spokeswoman said they “will work through this to address these matters.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “It is disappointing that more progress has not been made in setting this year’s pay deal but we understand the sector is continuing discussions with its unions. We would hope these will result in a settlement being agreed.”