Increase pay or lose lecturers, says union

Lecturers' union Natfhe will open negotiations with the Association of Colleges next Thursday for a flat-rate pay increase of Pounds 2,500 for its members in further education colleges. On the same day, the union will be negotiating for a 10 per cent pay rise for all university lecturers.

Natfhe says low levels of pay are causing serious recruitment and retention problems, espec-ially in colleges.

The difference between salaries of further education lecturers and school teachers is exacerbating the problem. While a teacher's starting salary hits Pounds 15,141, a college lecturer at the bottom of the pay scale receives just Pounds 13,305 and one at the top receives Pounds 5,000 less than a teacher at an equivalent point.