Natfhe as climbed down after a six-month dispute over new staff contracts at Yeovil College, Somerset. Lecturers have accepted the contracts, which for some will mean an extra five hours of teaching a week. Although members feared dismissal, Natfhe threatened strike action, but the college said the new terms were essential to meet a funding gap of over Pounds 1 million. As The THES went to press "almost all" staff had signed the new contracts.