Further education college lecturers are threatening an escalating campaign of strikes in pursuit of an immediate, no-strings £3,000 pay rise for all full-time staff.
The campaign, launched this week by lecturers' union Natfhe, will hit all colleges in England and Wales from May unless the pay rise demands are met.
The move follows a Natfhe conference two weeks ago where members "signalled that the patience of lecturers has run out", said Paul Mackney, the union's general secretary.
College chiefs were due to meet in London today to consider how to take forward the government's further education teaching pay initiative, which promises an extra £50 million from April and another £100 million next year to fund training and reward star lecturers and those who gain additional qualifications.
In a letter to David Gibson, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, which represents the employers, Mr Mackney calls for: a flat-rate £3,000 pay rise for next year and an equivalent increase for part-time lecturers; no performance-related element in the pay rises; staff on old "silver book" style contracts to be included and the increase to be the first step in a four-year staged award bringing pay up to school teacher levels.
The union has given employers until the end of February to reach an agreement on the demands.