AROUND 80 Blackburn College lecturers and tutors held a protest picnic' over their pay.

The protest yesterday was to raise awareness of below inflation pay deals for FE (further education) staff.

The Association of Colleges (AoC) has made an opening pay offer of 2.5 per cent for FE staff in England for 2008/09.

The unions want at least six per cent, which they say would bridge a pay gap with school teachers.

Craig Hammond, socio-logy tutor at Blackburn and branch chairman of the University and College Union (UCU), said: "FE funding is very different to that of schools, sixth forms and universities, and we have always been paid less.

"But FE colleges offer the whole range of education services, and tutors have to do the same jobs as our colleagues. We teach A levels, we teach degrees, and we also take on problem students who have been taken out of school.

"We're a catch all, and we all work long hours, but this has never translated into pay."

Branch secretary, politics tutor Ashley Whalley, added: "There is a misconception that tutors earn a fortune, and it's just not true. We have some who are having to claim working family tax credits to make ends meet despite working long hours."

Blackburn College's 250 UCU members, which accounts for almost half of its staff, have been campaigning for parity of pay since 2004, when the AoC entered into a national agreement with FE colleges to bring tutors' pay in line with secondary and higher education.

Mr Hammond said: "A big problem is that the AoC only has the power to make recommendations.

"It's Blackburn College's board of governors that has stopped us getting parity, and that is also what we are raising awareness of."

The tutors held a "protest picnic" in St Paul's Garden, speaking to as many students as they could. UNISON members also joined in the action.

Mr Hammond said: "It's been really good."

The members are planning a strike in September if there is no change to the pay offer.