STRIKING lecturers have effectively closed Orpington College and disrupted teaching at Bromley College in a row over pay and pensions.

No lectures are taking place at Orpington College today (March 24) because of the action by members of the University and College Union.

Bromley College is still open and students walking in to the campus at Rookery Lane, Bromley, have been given stickers to wear to show their support for the strike.

And they have been told to ask the fifty percent of lecturers who are teaching today why they are not on strike.

The strikers are upset because they have only been offered a 0.2 per cent pay rise this year and changes to their pension scheme have been proposed.

This includes the government wanting a lecturer on a typical salary to pay an extra £88 into their pension per month.

Orpington College UCU branch chairman Grant Jefferys said: “It is unfortunate that there could not have been more discussions about the Associations of Colleges offer.

“We have to make a stand at some point and we have been talking about striking for two years and the college says they do not have any money to offer.

“This strike is the last line of what we can do.”

He added: “The management took the decision to close the college for students.

“The strike has raised discussions about the issues in the country as a whole and the students are realising why things are happening.”

Bromley College UCU branch chairman Steven Collinson said: “We have pickets on all three gates and the students are generally supportive.

“There has been a slight improvement in the pay since the last strike in 2008 but they still have not met the national pay agreement.”