LECTURERS at Accrington and Rossendale College were today deciding whether to strike on Tuesday next in support of colleague Pat Walsh, who lost his job.

A branch meeting of lecturers' union NATFHE was being held at the college's Sandy Lane site, Accrington, at lunchtime.

One possibility is that a decision could be delayed while the union pursued the route of taking legal action against the governors.

According to NATFHE the college's articles of government say that when a union representative is made redundant, they must be given access to a meeting with the governors, accompanied by a trade union representative, before any appeal.

Lecturers voted in favour of an all-out strike by just one vote, with 47 for and 46 against the action in support of Mr Walsh, a senior history teacher and NATFHE branch secretary, who was made redundant before Christmas.

A NATFHE spokesperson said: "There are concerns that such a large number of people voted against the strike.

"People are frightened and quite rightly so. It's a major step to take.

"We just want to make sure it's fully debated today."

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