Northern Ireland

Strikes across all six Northern Ireland colleges over pay row

UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said members in colleges across Northern Ireland were tired of seeing their pay eroded
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said members in colleges across Northern Ireland were tired of seeing their pay eroded UCU General Secretary Jo Grady said members in colleges across Northern Ireland were tired of seeing their pay eroded

LECTURERS at six further education colleges have staged a one day strike in a row over pay.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) claim Stormont has failed to address concerns over pay and terms and conditions.

Staff took part in an online rally over Zoom today.

They were joined by UCU General Secretary Jo Grady, the union's president-elect Janet Farrar, and Northern Ireland official Katharine Clarke.

The union said the dispute centred on Economy Minister Diane Dodds and her department's failure to increase college funding so employers could pay staff fairly.

Mrs Dodds said the union had rejected a pay offer amounting to a 7 per cent rise.

The UCU said its FE members had only received a 3.8 per cent increase since 2013/14.

The strike will be followed by continuous industrial action. This will see members only working to contracted hours, refusing overtime and boycotting additional duties.

Ms Clarke said while lecturers received a 3.8 per cent increase since 2013/14, school teachers were given an 11.25 per cent rise over the same period.

"The offer of 7 per cent over four years in the context of the previous capped awards equates to 1.2 per cent per year over a nine year period. No other workforce in the public sector has been subject to such a derisory increase," she said.

Mrs Dodds urged unions representing lecturers and FE employers to work together to bring a resolution.

"Further education colleges are employers in their own right and are responsible for determining the terms and conditions of lecturing staff, including the negotiation and agreement of any changes to those terms and conditions, including pay, with trade unions. I have no legal authority to intervene in these matters and therefore have no direct role in this dispute," she said.

"It is only when agreement has been reached between the employers and the unions through that process that a business case is submitted to my department for appraisal. Should the business case be considered to be sufficiently robust, my department may approve it and give consideration to bringing forward proposals to meet any additional resource requirements."