Strike action right across the further education sector next term was starting to look inevitable as colleges broke up for the Easter break.
Natfhe, the lecturersÕ union, is due to start balloting its members a week tomorrow for a strike on May 22.
Meanwhile, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (A0C) slapped a demand down for a £2,500 flat-rate pay increase and threatened to ballot for industrial action if sixth form college lecturers end up with less than the schoolteachersÕ 3.7% award.
The Association of Colleges, the employersÕ body for general further education institutions, said there was still hope of avoiding a strike which it claimed would send damaging messages to government that the sector had not shaken off its industrial relations problems.
But there was a clear sense of gloom and disappointment that the Natfhe ballot would be completed - on May 9 Ñ a week before the AoC meets again with the trades unions of the National Joint Forum, which has been conducting pay negotiations. Last week Natfhe notified the principals of more than 300 general further education colleges that on May 22 its members would be balloted on the standard two questions about being prepared to go on strike or to take industrial action short of a strike.
The union is claiming a flat-rate increase of £3,000 for 2001-2002 as first step to restore further education lecturersÕ pay-relativity with salaries in schools. LecturersÕ pay has fallen about 10% behind that of teachers.
The Association of College Managers, the further education managersÕ union, has made a claim for a 6% salary increase for the next three years.
The sectorsÕ Òsupport staffÓ, represented by three tradesÕ unions, are demanding £1000 on all salary scales or a 7.5% increase, whichever is the greater. They also want the reduction of the standard working week from 37 to 35 hours.
A bulletin from NatfheÕs London headquarters to its branches called for a solid ÒyesÓ vote.
General secretary Paul Mackney advised them that the further education teachers pay initiative, despite the announcement by ministers of a further £135 million over three years, would not resolve the problem of the pay gap with school teachers.
And he reminded them, for their negotiations with their college managements about local implementation of the pay intitiative, of NatfheÕs Òcomplete opposition to all forms of performance related payÓ.
On the likelihood of resounding support for a strike Mackney said: ÒI donÕt think youÕd be able to find a single lecturer in the country who is satisfied with the level of pay.Ó
The AoC sent a questionnaire to colleges asking if they would consider or reject each of the separate pay demands. It will make its draft pay offer to the forum on May 15 based on the results.
Ivor Jones, the AoCÕs director of employment policy, said: ÒOn the whole the claims are reasonable.Ó
Referring to the Natfhe demand he added: ÒRealistically the employers are not going to be able to match the request for £3000.Ó
The AoCÕs chief executive, David Gibson, said: ÒIf we return to the strikes of the 70s and 80s everybody will suffer. We are a strong sector delivering the goods and we want to stay that way.Ó
