COLLEGE lecturers across Scotland have once again backed industrial action as their pay dispute enters its third year.

Forced by anti-trade union legislation to seek a renewed mandate to continue their series of strikes and actions short of strike into the new term, college lecturers’ union EIS-Fela faced the difficulty of conducting the ballot over the summer recess.

But resolve to continue the fight appeared undimmed, with 66.9 per cent backing strike action and 71 per supporting action short of strike on a 62.5 per cent turnout.

Welcoming the renewed mandate, EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “College lecturers have delivered a clear mandate for the continuation of industrial action in support of a fair pay settlement, and this ballot result signifies the collective strength of Scotland’s college lecturers as they continue to fight for fair pay.

“Lecturers have faced increasingly aggressive tactics from employers, including the vindictive threat to ‘deem wages’ by withholding of up to 100 per cent of salary from lecturers engaged in a legal programme of action short of strike.

“This despicable tactic from many college managements has only served to inflame the current situation and increase college lecturers’ determination to ensure the provision of quality further education to students of all ages, and particularly to working-class communities.

“We continue to urge the Scottish government to stand up for college lecturers and help bring this public-sector dispute to a resolution, as it has done previously for NHS staff and other public-sector workers.” 

College Employers Scotland was contacted for comment.