More than 350 lecturers at the University of Technology (UTech) withdrew their services, pressing the Government for an improved wage offer.

Hundreds of students who turned up for classes at the university were forced to return home, as a consequence.

"The vice-president of the union informed the acting president of UTech, George Roper, that the lecturers were withdrawing their service today (yesterday) at 1:00 p.m.," said Hector Wheeler, director of communications at UTech.

The lecturers walked off the job, demanding that the govern-ment respond to their demands for retroactive pay they claim has been owed to them since 2002.

Mr. Wheeler said the lecturers had been having conciliation meetings with the ministries of labour and finance, UTech and the University of Technology Academic Staff Union (UTASU).

He explained that an offer was made to the union last week, but it was rejected. Mr. Wheeler declined, however, to say what this offer was.

The university's lecturers, who also walked off the job last September, subsequently received a salary increase, retroactive to April, 2006. The lecturers are demanding, however, that the increase be made retroactive to 2002.