STAFF demonstrated outside Basingstoke College Of Technology yesterday as part of a national one-day strike over pay.

Half the full and part-time lecturing and support staff who are members of NATFHE, the university and college lecturers' union, took part in the strike aimed at closing the £3,000 gap between the pay in schools and colleges.

Further education (FE) lecturers earn, on average, 12 per cent less than school teachers, which causes recruitment and retention problems, says the union.

The lecturers who protested outside the college, in Worting Road, told The Basingstoke Extra it was particularly difficult to fill vacancies in the town because of the combination of low pay, low unemployment and the high cost of housing.

They also said it was becoming increasingly difficult to attract younger staff.

Tony Ward, programme manager for the architecture and professional studies section, has worked at the college for 31 years. "We're losing people to schools and we're not having any luck with recruitment," he said.

"When we advertised for some plumbers to work at the college we didn't get one response. What they earn here in 12 months, they can earn in eight within the industry."

He added: "The workload is so great that many people are off sick with stress."

Yesterday's strike was the first to involve five staff unions in FE colleges. Union members want a substantial pay rise this year and a national agreement on holidays and working hours.

College employees were offered a 2.4 per cent rise earlier this year, but say that does nothing to tackle low pay.

John Downer, chairman of the Basingstoke branch of NATFHE, said: "Hopefully the strike will encourage the Government to put more money into the whole sector."

BCOT vice-principal Pete Phillips said: "While we have every sympathy with the lecturers, and agree that salary levels have fallen significantly behind school teachers, local government and the private sector, the top priority is to look after the students.

"The college was, therefore, open as usual, and the vast majority of students were able to attend their classes."

Addressing the issue of vacancies, he said: "The college always has a certain amount of job vacancies, but the current level is not unusually high."

If yesterday's strike proves unsuccessful, a programme of one-day stoppages is planned for December.