SCOTLAND’S largest higher education staff union threatened employers with industrial action yesterday after college bosses delayed pay rises by at least six months.

Unison leaders said they were “astonished” after higher education chiefs replied to the union’s February pay claim by proposing negotiations in October.

Discussions broke down between the union and employers when education chiefs argued that negotiations could only move on after the nation’s 27 college boards reached an agreement.

Unison’s further education committee chairman Chris Greenshields said: “National negotiations have become farcical.

“Our members, who have delivered significant organisational change and who have suffered big job losses and increased workload, have lost patience.”