Contracts bring ballot on strike action

* The Educational Institute of Scotland is balloting members on strike action after the announcement of new contracts said by management to offer "efficiency, flexibility and fairness".

The Conference of Scottish Centrally Funded Colleges, which represents Scotland's new universities, plans to introduce its "Partnership 2000" package from February 15 for new academic staff. Annual leave is cut by 20 days to 41 days. The Association of University Teachers Scotland, a member of the joint union committee alongside the EIS, is "unhappy with aspects of the package" but will accept it, according to official Jack Dale (pictured).