LECTURERS at Ayrshire College’s Kilwinning campus voted to resume industrial action on Monday – and have escalated strikes to three days a week.

The college staff walked out yesterday and are striking today and tomorrow.

The dispute began in August last year after the college introduced new working arrangements including a new timetable with reduced class lengths.

Lecturers’ union Educational Institute of Scotland/ Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS/FELA) members claim they were not consulted about the timetable changes.

Yesterday, of the 77 members balloted, 42 voted and 36 were in favour of continuing the action with six against – rejecting a proposal agreed between college management and union representatives that flexible session lengths and course design would be agreed jointly between curriculum managers and lecturers.

The arrangement would have been piloted at Kilwinning campuses before being rolled out across other Ayrshire College sites in Kilmarnock and Ayr.

EIS/FELA branch secretary Ian Cochrane said: “What is being proposed is the system that was in place before the end of last session and worked perfectly well.

“However, we have little trust that the management will adhere to the proposal and we need to have further safeguards put in place.” “We also don’t agree with the idea of the proposal being rolled out without the consultation of our members in the other campuses.” A spokesperson for the EIS added: “While some progress was made during recent discussions, the programme of industrial action has now been reinstated due to a failure to agree a negotiated agreement with college management.” A college spokesperson said: “It is very disappointing that a small group of lecturers has chosen to continue strike action which may impact negatively on some students’ learning experience.

“All campuses will be open as normal this week and the college will work hard to limit the impact of the strike on students.” Further talks between college management and the union are set to be held today (Friday).