ukUpcoming strikes at colleges have been suspended after 'progress' was made in a pay dispute.

College lecturers based at learning institutions across Scotland were set to walk out in a dispute over pay this week.

Dates were originally set for Tuesday, August 20, Wednesday, August 21, and Thursday, August 22 and would impact colleges across the country including Glasgow Kelvin College and West College Scotland, which has campuses in Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley.

Now the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has revealed that strike action has been suspended after they reached 'significant' progress at a meeting with EIS-FELA representatives, College Employers Scotland and the Scottish Government Minister for Further & Higher Education on Monday.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: "EIS-FELA representatives met with representatives of Scotland’s Colleges after meeting the Minister responsible for Further Education, this morning.

"Significant progress was made at this meeting, with the result that EIS-FELA and the EIS have decided to suspend three days of strike action, scheduled for this week.

"This is intended as an act of good faith and in the interests of supporting students and is on the understanding that an improved offer will be made formally by College Employers Scotland in the coming days.

"While a final settlement has yet to be reached, EIS-FELA negotiators were significantly encouraged by today’s developments and believed it appropriate to suspend this week's strikes.

"Based on discussions this morning, we remain hopeful that a resolution can be struck that will finally see a fair pay settlement that will allow lecturers to return to working as normal, and to do what they do best which is supporting their students in colleges across Scotland to learn and progress.

"Discussions will now continue to iron out final details. Once a revised offer is formally on the table, our intention is to put this to EIS-FELA members in a ballot.

"Today has brought us closer to an end to this long-running dispute, and we hope that discussions will now move quickly and smoothly towards a fair agreement for all parties and a return for students to the uninterrupted, quality learning and teaching that they need and deserve."