Further Education Colleges hit by strike action

Further education colleges across Northern Ireland have today been hit by strikes as lecturers take industrial action over a pay dispute.

The college professors are striking in a bid to have their wages raised to the same level as schoolteachers, arguing that teachers are paid around £2,500 more per year.

Classes at 16 colleges throughout the province have been affected due to the action.

The union for the college lecturers has said that a deal has already been agreed with management, however this has now been stalled by a government limit on pay rises.

Jim McKeown, Regional Officer for NATFHE, the trade union for lecturers, trainers, researchers and managers working in further and higher education throughout the UK, today said that lecturers were preparing for a lengthy campaign, with a further strike planned for next Wednesday.

He said: "It is hard-working teachers who deliver the services to students and the community.

"They are the ones who deserve the plaudits and the same pay as other teachers.

"Lecturers have had enough of empty words from their employers."

Mr McKeown also revealed that the action was not aimed at the students, but was an attempt to make college chiefs to give them equal wages as school teachers, like their Welsh counterparts.

It is thought that around 1,900 members of the union are employed within the 16 colleges.

Although classed have been cancelled at the 16 colleges, exams will still go ahead as scheduled.

(EF/SP)