AYRSHIRE College support staff will walk out today (Tuesday) in a second strike after an increasingly bitter pay row in the troubled further education sector.

Unison Scotland and GMB announced last week that a further series of strike days would be held in a bid for fair pay dispute.The move follows strike action taken by Unison’s further education members earlier this month and is the second national strike within a year of the new National Bargaining arrangements being set up.

Some 2,500 support staff from UNISON and GMB – including classroom assistants, estates staff, key finance staff, librarians, catering staff, cleaning staff and others  are expected to walk out this week A further two consecutive days are planned for October as the autumn terms in Scottish colleges are beset by closed campuses, cancelled classes and a chaotic student experience.

The row centres on the pay rise for 2016, as college bosses awarded lecturing staff a flat rate rise of £450, while most low-paid support staff were offered £230 – almost half that awarded to their teaching colleagues.

A college additional needs assistant and UNISON member, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I cannot believe my employers are forcing me to withdraw my labour yet again and have not treated me the same as the lecturers with whom I work in the same classrooms. Is my role seen as second-class by college management? I work with young learners who have a learning difficulty. 

“This can involve intimate personal care as well as drug delivery, for example for diabetes. The learning difficulties cover a wide spectrum of disorders due to autism, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy and many others. Am I not worth a pay rise of £450, the same as a college lecturer?”

Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON Scotland’s FE committee, said: “Striking is a last resort and we’re disappointed the employers have not listened to our calls for fair and equal treatment. In 2015, every single support worker and every single lecturer received £400 as a pay rise. The employers agreed an ‘equality clause’. What is different in 2016? Why should one portion of staff get £450, another £400 and yet another £230? It is a divisive negotiating strategy and UNISON will only accept fairness.”

An Ayrshire College spokesperson said: “Our priority is to do everything possible to limit the impact of the strike on the learning experience of our students, and all campuses will be open on Tuesday for the vast majority of students.”