Alex says....

Equal pay for lecturers from Galashiels to Stornaway!

A day of industrial action today. It was the first national lecturers strike in the FE sector for over twenty years.

It was prompted by a pledge from the government to reintroduce nationalised collective bargaining and a commitment to a national wage for FE lecturers the same as, teachers, HE lecturers, nurses and other areas have.

The framework has been in place for a couple of years, but unfortunately the offer from Colleges Scotland who represent the management side was a flat 1%. While that is more than many are getting at the moment, and, for me at least, the number isn't that important, the main problem is all that serves to do is widen the gulf between the best and poorest paid colleges rather than reducing it.

It was an early start to be on the picket line for 8am, but there was a good turn out, then it was into town for a national lobby on parliament where there was over 300 lecturers from round the country.

There was lots of political support too and it Alex Salmond was out which hopefully suggests his party and therefore the Scottish Government are committed to seeing their plans for national bargaining fully realised rather than just being a framework.