LECTURERS at St Helens College staged a one-day strike last Tuesday, May 22 over a pay dispute and to express anger as their salary continues to fall behind teachers' pay.

Members of National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education at the college were one of 290 branches across the country taking action in response to what they called, 'an inadequate pay offer' of three per cent made by the association of colleges.

The dispute also reflected the anger and frustration of lecturers, whose pay has fallen 10 per cent and more behind that of teachers, and which is set to fall further behind with the 3.7 per cent recently awarded to teachers.

In a statement, the lecturers union complained: "Over the last ten years, since Further Education Colleges were 'quasi-privatised', lecturers say that their profession has been 'casualised' with full time jobs being replaced by part-time agency work for many lecturers.

"Agency staff are classed as self-employed so don't get holiday pay, pensions or other employment rights.

"The full time staff who are left have more paperwork to complete, just like teachers in schools, but are also expected to teach a lot more hours with fewer holidays. This has been in the name of modernisation.

"The Labour government is very keen on modernisation, but modernisation shouldn't lead to dedicated staff feeling that they have to go on strike to get their voice heard.

"These are people who devote their careers to meeting the needs of disadvantaged students, and whose efforts are central to the government's plans for Lifelong Learning.

"Radical plans for schools and the NHS are being put forward by Labour as part of its election message.

"But if these bear any relation to what has gone on in the Further Education sector over the past few years, then teachers and nurses will have good reason to be worried. Modernisation should mean more resources, satisfying work and good pay. Experience in the Further Education sector suggests that it can mean just the opposite."