´óÏó´«Ã½

A deal offered to college lecturers amid a long-running pay dispute has been approved in a union vote.

Members of the EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association (EIS-FELA) supported the package offered from colleges - effectively ending five months of industrial action.

The offer, while improved, still fell short of the union's initial demands.

It was ratified by Colleges Scotland Employers' Association on behalf of colleges last week.

College lecturers across Scotland took part in several 24-hour strikes in recent months and recently stepped up action on other days.

The union urged its members to accept the new deal ahead of the vote on Monday - with 88% voting to do so.

Lecturers will now receive £400 unconsolidated and £1,500 consolidated - covering a period of three years and five months.

Flexible working arrangements and observation of learning has also been clarified in the terms of the agreement.

The deal runs from 1 April 2017 to 31 August 2020, bringing the pay period for lecturers in line with support staff workers.

However the additional £17.5m cost of the deal will have to be met by colleges making cuts, according to Colleges Scotland Employers' Association.

Chief executive Shona Struthers said the costs will be "challenging" as the sector is "already under considerable financial pressures".

She added: "We very much welcome this agreement which ends the EIS-FELA's industrial action and restores some stability to the sector. We are especially pleased for the students who have been adversely affected by the EIS-FELA's strike action and its action short of strike action.

"Lecturers in Scotland are the best paid in the UK, earning approximately £10,000 more than their English counterparts, and the pay harmonisation rises from 2017 to 2020, combined with the improved pay deal agreed with the EIS-FELA, equate to a national average increase of over £5,000 - or more than 13%.

"Lecturers have already also had significant improvements in terms and conditions over the same 2017-20 pay period, including the introduction of 62 days' holiday per year and 23 hours per week class contact time."

EIS-FELA also welcomed the vote result, highlighting how turnout had been considerably high.

General secretary Larry Flanagan said: "The EIS hopes that the settlement of this dispute will allow for a period of stability within Scotland's colleges.

"It is regrettable that lecturers were forced into taking six days of strike action to secure a fair cost-of-living pay settlement. Nevertheless, it is very welcome that a resolution has been reached."