Glasgow Metropolitan College dispute in third week

Lecturers at Glasgow Metropolitan College entered the third week of their pay dispute with a two-day strike on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, and are due to strike on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Following this, strike action will escalate to three days a week – every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – until the dispute is resolved.

Over 100 lecturers are on strike. They are members of the EIS-FELA teaching union. The lecturers took strike action after college bosses refused to increase their pay beyond 2.75 percent.

The pay rise was due in August last year but has still not been paid.

Strikers picketed five college sites around Glasgow city centre.

The strike will affect students because many have bursaries that end in May. The strike means they will not complete their courses unless bursaries are extended.

One striker said, “We are professional people. It hurts us to see the students suffer. The students’ progression is what we are about.”

Students have organised a petition demanding that college bosses resolve the dispute.