College lecturers have gone on strike in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said members walked out over the refusal of college management to honour a deal that was reached more than a year ago.

The agreement promised equal pay for lecturers in all colleges and national terms and conditions following years of pay inequity for lecturers doing the same jobs in different colleges, the EIS said.

The strike comes after a 96 per cent vote in favour of the action in a recent ballot of Further Education Lecturers' Association (EIS-FELA) members.

EIS-FELA president John Kelly, a lecturer from Paisley, said: "Rather than wasting taxpayers' money on spin against the agreement, college management should instead focus on delivering that agreement as promised."

College staff walked out on strike for a day in March 2016 and had more than 30 days of action planned.

A revised offer from Colleges Scotland was accepted last year, with staff promised wage rises as well as work between colleges and the union to develop a more ''harmonised'' pay deal across the workforce.

A spokesman for the Colleges Scotland Employers' Association said: "It is hugely disappointing that the EIS is taking strike action that will affect college students at this critical time.

"Colleges across Scotland are doing everything they can to minimise the disruption to students, who are currently preparing for their exams and finishing coursework.

"The strike is completely unnecessary and inappropriate at a time when we are currently engaged in Acas talks with the EIS to try and resolve this dispute.

"Harmonisation of pay and conditions is a complex process that requires compromise, not strikes and disruption.

"The EIS should call an end to this unnecessary industrial action, get back round the negotiation table with employers and allow students to get on with their studies."

Officials at the EIS said there has been overwhelming support for the strike, with picket lines in place at various colleges around Scotland today.

The walk-out is the first day in a continuing and escalating programme of strike action.

A further day of action is planned for next Wednesday, with the strike then escalating to two days per week and then three days per week unless the deal is honoured.