Lecturers are taking strike action

Most teaching is believed to have been cancelled at the 16 colleges but exams are going ahead.

Lecturers said they had lost patience with their employers and want "equal treatment" with school teachers, who on average earn �2,500 more than them.

The unions say a deal agreed with management has been stalled by a government limit on pay rises.

The further education union, Natfhe, and the teachers' union, Nasuwt, are involved and have accused college managers of not doing enough.

However, Brian Turtle, director of the largest college, the Belfast Institute, said they had done everything they could.

"We believe that we have taken all the steps that we can," he said.

"We haven't really had final answers to that. Those negotiations are ongoing.

"I can understand the staff's frustration but certainly we are committed to pushing that forward."

'Disappointed'

Almost 1,900 college staff in Northern Ireland are members of Natfhe, which has voted for three separate day-long strikes and a work-to-rule.

Earlier, Jim McKeown, the union's regional officer, said there would be little teaching done on Thursday.

"The action short of strike is aimed at mainly frustrating the administration of the colleges not directly at hitting students," he said.

John D'Arcy, chief executive of the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges, said they were disappointed at the move.

"College employers are disappointed that lecturers' unions are taking industrial action at this time," he said.