MORE than 100 lecturers at West College Scotland walked out on strike in a pay rise dispute after peace talks broke down.

Union leaders are warning bosses that they are 'running out of time' to come up with a 'fair' offer as industrial action looks set to escalate.

The EIS-FELA say the £850 flat rate rise they have been offered is not good enough for their members, who formed a picket line at both Finnart Street and the Waterfront campus this week.

But bosses insist there will be no improved offer and are reassuring students they will do all they can to minimise disruption caused by the walkouts.

Denise Munro, a lecturer in health and social care, and Lorna Small, who teaches higher psychology to school pupils and also lecturers in social sciences, argued for more money as they gathered outside the Waterfront Campus.

Denise said: "This is a busy campus and we kept going during Covid.

"We were the first back face to face.

"I think it is only fair we get recognised."

At Finnart Street colleagues joined the picket line led by EIS campus secretary Stuart Gorman.

He added: "We want a fair deal, the offer is not good enough for people who changed their whole way of working and used their own resources at home during Covid."

Members of EIS-FELA voted to hold 14 days of strikes during April and May, starting with one before increasing to two and then three.

Depute branch secretary Mark Gillan said: “Making the decision to take industrial action is never an easy decision for lecturers.

"We are committed to our students, their learning, and their wellbeing.

"We will continue with increasingly greater strike action until a satisfactory offer is received, taking into consideration how our members went the extra mile during the pandemic and face a real-terms pay cut with RPI reaching nine per cent."

College Employers Scotland says the union has rejected an offer which would have kept its members the best paid in the UK further education sector and said that the deal on the table was better than offers to other public sector workers.

Director Gavin Donoghue said: “The original offer to lecturers included a £150 one-off payment, recognising their contributions during the pandemic, and along with the £850 consolidated payment in recognition of the work done throughout the pandemic, was a higher pay offer than that already made to and accepted by teachers, civil servants, police, fire service.

“This pay offer would ensure Scotland’s lecturers remain by far the best paid in the UK and continue to enjoy the best terms and conditions in the four nations.

“In a final attempt to avert industrial action, College Employers Scotland offered an additional £50 to the one-off payment to stop strike action going ahead, which was rejected.

“Colleges are already in deficit by £5.7m and the sector is facing a real-terms cut in funding of £51.9m this autumn.

"Strike action will not result in an increased offer – there simply isn’t any more funding that colleges can put forward."