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Huge turnout of Northern Ireland college lecturers on 6th strike day

30 January 2007

Northern Ireland's 16 further education colleges were hit hard by strike action on 29 January as college lecturers took their 6th day of strike action since last May.

Around 500 UCU members took part in a march in Belfast City Centre, ending with a rally in the Spires Centre. The rally was addressed by UK national officials of UCU and NASUWT as well as local trade union officers. Northern Ireland college lecturers march on 6th strike day

There was good support from political parties. The MP for South Belfast, Dr. Allister McDonnell addressed the rally and voiced support for the lecturers' case. The general secretary of the Teacher Union of Ireland came from Dublin to offer support from teacher unions in the Republic. Peter Bunting of the Irish Congress of Trade unions gave support. There was also support from Belfast Trades Council and unions including NUJ, T&G and NIPSA.

The series of strikes is part of the lecturers long running campaign for pay parity with teachers in schools. College lecturers are paid £3,421pa less than most school-teachers for doing similar work. Colleges have also been hit by a work to rule which is seriously disrupting administration and preparation for mergers between colleges due to take effect next August.

The employers agreed to pay parity in 2001 but did not implement it. Since then government has taken control over lecturers' pay and imposed a cap on public sector pay. Lecturers have met with Secretary of State Peter Hain in a bid to have the cap lifted. He has said he accepts in principle that lecturers should have pay parity but that would breach government's current pay policy. He offered to work with the unions to progress a case to put to government's public sector pay committee which would support lecturers.  But he could give no commitment regarding any outcome.

Commenting before the strike and rally, UCU's regional official Jim McKeown said: 'Our members were encouraged by the secretary of state's support - but there is no cash on the table. Our members had been listening to promises and statements of support for nearly 6 years - but their pay is falling even further behind that of other teachers. Teachers have had their pay increased by 2.5% last September and will get a further 2.5% next September whilst lecturers have been offered nothing. College lecturers are only asking for fairness - they do a similar job to school-teachers and deserve the same pay and salary structures. Members are prepared to keep this campaign going until they get that.'

UCU's action short of strike involves a refusal to co-operate with college mergers, a ban on cover for absent colleges, withdrawal of goodwill and the non return of information for planning purposes. The union is committed to indefinite strike action should employers send lecturers home without pay for taking part in industrial action.
Last updated: 14 December 2015

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