STAFF at one of Scotland's largest colleges are threatening to strike in a long-running dispute over pay.

Public-sector union Unison wants talks at the City of Glasgow College saying an unpopular pay settlement is being forced on staff.

Last week, Education Secretary Michael Russell praised the college for its successful merger and principal Paul Little wrote to staff thanking them for their "superb team effort".

However, Martin Clark, Unison steward at the college, said about 300 support staff had rejected a pay offer of a flat rate rise of just £250 for those earning less than £21,000 and nothing for those on more.

"If the college merger is such a success, why are our members not being offered a proper pay award?" asked Mr Clark. "We want to get back round the table and talk with them, or we will have no option but to move towards a ballot for industrial action."

A City of Glasgow College spokesman called it "regrettable" Unison was seeking to confuse the success of the merger with annual pay talks. He said: "It is disappointing that the Unison statement makes no reference to the ground-breaking employment guarantee which was put in place for a three-year period ending this summer, guaranteeing no compulsory redundancies."