Lecturers strike over pay

THOUSANDS OF lecturers are taking strike action on 24 February and 1 March
because management are refusing to implement a national pay deal.

These are the same bosses – the college principals – whose salaries have
increased by 102% – 180% since colleges were taken out of local authority
control in 1992. During the same period lecturers’ pay has risen by only 30%.

This means a 10% pay gap has opened up between lecturers’ and teachers’
pay.

The current deal was supposed to see lecturers catching up with teachers
but six months after the deal was agreed, over 70 colleges – about a third –
are still refusing to implement the deal.

Since the threat of strike action was first raised, a number of colleges
have paid up. A sure sign that industrial militancy works

This action has to be the start of an escalating programme of industrial
action to make sure the deal is implemented in full.

The 75% vote for action shows lecturers have had enough of these bosses.

Conditions have been declining for years and on top of the erosion of pay,
NATFHE members are facing huge changes to the pension scheme which will force
all lecturers and teachers under 50 to work till they’re 65 or lose a large
part of their pension rights.

NATFHE is balloting for strike action on 14 April, as well over the
pensions issue.

It is important that unity with other education unions is forged to make
sure that this day is an education shutdown.

Other unions in local government and the civil service are taking strike
action over pensions on 23 March.

These unions could join in action on 14 April and bring about a
public-sector shutdown.

A determined stand on both pay and pensions can give NATFHE members
confidence that the years of retreat and erosion of conditions can begin to be
reversed.