COLLEGE chiefs have hit back at union bosses ahead of a planned lecturers' strike tomorrow. 

Classes at colleges across Scotland - including at West College Scotland's Paisley campus - are cancelled due to a sector-wide dispute between the Educational Institute of Scotland – Further Education Lecturers' Association (EIS-FELA) union and Colleges Scotland.

According to the EIS-FELA executive committee, the dispute is about a "cost of living pay increase and ensuring that lecturers' pay keeps up with inflation".

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Further strike dates have also been proposed, including for February 5, March 6 and March 21.

However, college chiefs say they have offered a further cost of living pay rise which takes the average pay increase to 12.2 per cent. 

Shona Struther, chief executive of Colleges Scotland, said: “It is extremely disappointing that the EIS-FELA is taking disruptive strike action for the third time in four years, especially when the colleges’ pay offer, combined with salary rises from the ‘same pay’ settlement, would see lecturers’ national average pay increase over three years by 12.2%, which is a cash increase of £4,468.  This offer on the table is the best overall pay rise for public sector workers anywhere in the UK, but the EIS-FELA want even more.

“At the heart of this dispute is the EIS-FELA’s refusal to recognise the substantial pay increases awarded to most lecturers from the previously agreed ‘same pay’ deal represent a pay rise.  They also want more pay for cost of living, but a pay rise is a pay rise, irrespective of whether it comes from the ‘same pay’ agreement or the additional cost of living offer.

“Finances are extremely tight for colleges and all of the modest £18.3 million revenue increase in the Scottish Government’s 2019-20 Draft Budget is ringfenced to pay for the ‘same pay’ rises already agreed, so colleges must make cuts elsewhere to pay for an additional cost of living offer.

“The EIS-FELA is demanding lecturers’ pay increases by 16.2%, which would cost colleges an additional £31.5 million on top of the £23.4 million ‘same pay’ deal costs.  This is unaffordable and unsustainable for the sector and the EIS-FELA should suspend its strike action and recognise the instability their unwarranted strike action is causing to college students, who lose out the most from strikes.”

Ahead of the action, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan has been critical of college management. 

In a letter to Colleges Scotland, he wrote: "I write ahead of planned strike action by our FELA members to express my astonishment at the unwillingness of the College Management side to agree a meeting date ahead of the strike action, with a view to engaging in meaningful negotiations and possible avoiding the need for the strike to proceed.”

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"I understand that FELA negotiators have moderated our original cost of living claim which now matches the deal agreed with support staff unions and should provide the basis for agreement to be reached.

"That cannot happen, however, unless management is at least prepared to come to the table."