STAFF are poised to take strike action over pay at further education centres in York and North Yorkshire tomorrow.

Union chiefs with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) have warned that thousands of students could be affected by the threatened action.

They claim that lecturers and support staff at further education colleges do not get paid as much as teachers in schools and want the gap to be bridged.

Up to 200 lecturers and support staff could walk out at York College, where union members are planning a day of picketing and campaigning action.

Mike Saunders, York branch chairman of the association, said strike action was "definitely" set to take place at the college's main York campus and Sixth Form site.

He said picketing would take place between 7am and 11am and in the afternoon for an hour from 5.30pm.

Members will hand out letters to other staff members and students explaining their position and demands.

Askham Bryan College principal Gareth Rees said although staff had a very "strong case" for demanding equal pay, he was not expecting any disruption to take place at the college.

He said: "I have got a great deal of sympathy for them, but I am very pleased and proud that they have always put the students first, even though they feel they are being badly treated."

At Selby College, NATFHE branch secretary Derek Mastaglio said there would be strike action tomorrow by some of the college's 28 members.

He added that organisers would not know how the action would affect the college until later today.

Updated: 12:12 Monday, November 04, 2002