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College strike for teacher parity College strike for teacher parity
(about 6 hours later)
College lecturers are staging a one-day strike as part of their campaign to get pay parity with school teachers.College lecturers are staging a one-day strike as part of their campaign to get pay parity with school teachers.
Staff at NI's 16 further education colleges took two days of industrial action last term and said they would hold more in the coming weeks.Staff at NI's 16 further education colleges took two days of industrial action last term and said they would hold more in the coming weeks.
The Association of NI Colleges said it was disappointed at the action just as students begin the new academic year.The Association of NI Colleges said it was disappointed at the action just as students begin the new academic year.
It said it is pressing the government to scrap the pay cap which has stopped colleges from giving large pay rises.It said it is pressing the government to scrap the pay cap which has stopped colleges from giving large pay rises.
"The issue of the public sector pay cap is a major difficulty, but we continue to encourage the Department for Employment and Learning to make representations to the Department of Finance and Personnel," it said."The issue of the public sector pay cap is a major difficulty, but we continue to encourage the Department for Employment and Learning to make representations to the Department of Finance and Personnel," it said.
The only way lecturers can show their disgust at the way they are being treated is by taking industrial action Jim McKeownUniversity and College UnionThe only way lecturers can show their disgust at the way they are being treated is by taking industrial action Jim McKeownUniversity and College Union
The association said the further education sector in Northern Ireland "is alone in being subject to a public sector pay cap, unlike our colleagues in the school and higher education sectors".The association said the further education sector in Northern Ireland "is alone in being subject to a public sector pay cap, unlike our colleagues in the school and higher education sectors".
Tuesday's action is the third strike in recent weeks, with further disruption planned for October and November.Tuesday's action is the third strike in recent weeks, with further disruption planned for October and November.
Seamus Murphy, the director of the North West Institute in Londonderry, said the government had stopped an agreement on the advance lecturer's scheme.
"Those arrangements fell outside the government's pay cap of 3.5% and the department (of employment and learning) have put an embargo on it.
"The department is currently working with DFP (finance department) to try and find a way round it.
"So there is no disagreement between management and staff the disagreement is between staff and the department and DFP.
"It is inevitable that if classes are cancelled and courses are disrupted students will suffer."
University and College Union spokesman Jim McKeown said "those at the top are running round in circles and nobody will take a decision".University and College Union spokesman Jim McKeown said "those at the top are running round in circles and nobody will take a decision".
"The employers claim they support the lecturers, but the Department of Education and Learning won't allow them to pay (while) DEL say they cannot act without approval from the Department of Personnel," he said."The employers claim they support the lecturers, but the Department of Education and Learning won't allow them to pay (while) DEL say they cannot act without approval from the Department of Personnel," he said.
"Government and the employers expect college teachers to co-operate with college mergers and to deal with every initiative the government throws at the sector - yet they haven't the decency to pay their teachers a just wage."Government and the employers expect college teachers to co-operate with college mergers and to deal with every initiative the government throws at the sector - yet they haven't the decency to pay their teachers a just wage.
"The only way lecturers can show their disgust at the way they are being treated is by taking industrial action.""The only way lecturers can show their disgust at the way they are being treated is by taking industrial action."
The union represents about 4,300 lecturers in Northern Ireland.The union represents about 4,300 lecturers in Northern Ireland.