Further Education lecturers` pay dispute resolved

Employment Minister, Sir Reg Empey, has welcomed the news that agreement has been reached on further education (FE) lecturers’ pay.

A pay offer by FE college employers for the three years 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 has been accepted by lecturers following a ballot of University and College Union members. The settlement has been approved by the Department for Employment and Learning and endorsed by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

The Minister said: “I am pleased that agreement has been reached and I sincerely hope that this spells the end of the damaging dispute.

“I would like to pay tribute to all those who have worked hard to find a settlement which is acceptable to all concerned. There is no doubt that this agreement owes much to the negotiations in late 2007/ early 2008 between employers and unions, chaired by Sir Joseph Pilling and facilitated by my department.”

The pay settlement comprises a 6% increase over the three years, with an additional payment for some lecturers at the top of their scales, the latter payment to be funded from efficiency savings released through the introduction of a new contract for lecturing staff in colleges.

Notes to Editors:

1. The ballot was held on 16 March 2009. Numbers voting Yes were 561(65.8% of valid vote). Numbers voting No were 291 (34.2% of valid vote). Number of ballot papers distributed was 2,003. Number of valid ballot papers returned was 852 (the valid vote).

2. The pay agreement consists of the following main elements:

• A 6% cost of living increase to be awarded to all FE lecturers over the three years 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11. The 2008/09 increase payable from September 2008 will be 2.45% with the remaining 3.55% divided equally over the 2009/10 and 2010/11 years.
• Lecturers who have been on the threshold point at the top of their scales for at least two years will receive a further consolidated and pensionable award of £1,322 from September 2009. This award will be funded by a revised lecturer contract based on annualised hours which will release efficiency savings.
• The Senior Lecturer grade will be phased out over a three year period and will be replaced by a series of management/responsibility allowances. These allowances will be introduced on a college by college basis, concurrent with the phasing out of the Senior Lecturer grade. A responsibility allowance will be valued at £1,582 and an individual can hold a maximum of four allowances. The number and nature of allowances will be the subject of discussion between college management and lecturer unions.

3. The implementation of the three year pay agreement is subject to an approval process, in accordance with the public sector pay policy adopted by the Northern Ireland Executive. A business case for the pay agreement has been approved by the Department for Employment and Learning and the Minister of Finance and Personnel.

4. All media enquiries to Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on telephone 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned