Leicester college staff call strike over sweetened contract

Lecturers at one of the country's largest colleges have called an all-out strike from Monday.

Staff at the 42,000-student Leicester College are striking over a contract that their union, Natfhe, says changes conditions of service without negotiation.

Some 220 Natfhe members are being offered a one-off payment of £1,800 if they sign the contract, which also cutstheir holiday entitlement by four days.

Of the 160 lecturers who took part in a strike ballot, 75 per cent are in favour of industrial action.

Management at Leicester College said that the new contract was reasonable, voluntary and involved no loss of pay.

Marianne Harris-Bridge, director of corporate affairs, said: "We are disappointed with the union's intention to try to disrupt the learning experiences of our students."

The college, she added, had taken steps to ensure that "a full educational provision would be running as usual".