Northern Ireland college lecturers win pay award worth 11.2%

The full pay deal:

• 8.4% backdated to September 2023 + £1k consolidated (equivalent to 11.2%)
• lecturer starting salary uplifted to £30k.

UCU members overwhelmingly voted to accept the deal, which brings an end to sustained industrial action by lecturers, who have been working to rule for the past four years and began withholding marks in January. The Department for the Economy has also committed to an independent examination of pay and conditions to ensure parity with school teachers.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'This incredible win is the best pay award college lecturers have seen in years and it is down to the hard work of our members, who are showing workers everywhere what can be achieved when we stand together.

'We also have commitments from the Department for the Economy over closing the school and college pay gap. We will continue to lobby the department and college employers forum to ensure we get pay parity; improvements to terms, conditions and workloads; and an industrial relations model that will end the cycle of unrest.'