Lecturers schedule more days of action
Lecturers at Lanarkshire’s colleges walked out on strike again last week in an ongoing national dispute about what they claim are moves to replace them with lower paid, less qualified staff.
However, lecturers have suspended further action this week after positive talks between union EIS-FELA and Colleges Scotland.
A further nine days of industrial action is still possible in the coming weeks, however, unless an outright deal can be found.
EIS-FELA says the strike action, which involves lecturers from New College Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire College both virtually and on the picket line, was sparked by the refusal of Colleges Scotland to ratify an agreement reached last month through the National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC).
Although it was ratified unanimously by EIS-FELA, Colleges Scotland failed to sanction the agreement their negotiators had reached, instead sending them back to the negotiating table to propose changes which EIS leaders claim “create a window of opportunity” for Colleges Scotland to designate lecturer responsibilities to other non-teaching staff – including instructors, assessors and tutors.
It now appears some progress has been made.
A spokesperson for Colleges Scotland, said: “Following lengthy and productive discussions, good progress was made and a consensus position reached which both sides are taking to their respective memberships.
“As a result of the position reached, the strike action planned for Tuesday April 27, and Wednesday, April 28, has been suspended.
“The suspension is good news for students and staff.”
In an email to members, EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Negotiations at the National Joint Negotiating Committee concluded a short time ago with agreement reached between your national negotiators and Colleges Scotland.
“Two days of national strike action have been suspended next week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, to afford both sides to take the agreement to their respective bodies for ratification.
“This will require an emergency EIS-FELA executive committee to be convened early next week.”
EIS-FELA branch secretary, national negotiator and New College Lanarkshire lecturer Eileen Imlah – who was on the Motherwell campus picket line with sociallydistanced colleagues last week – said that College Scotland had previously turned down invitations to continue negotiations during the two-week spring break.
While both sides agree that progress was made when “constructive” talks resumed, Colleges Scotland issued a statement expressing disappointment that the “unnecessary action” went ahead.
Insisting colleges are “working extremely hard to ensure students can achieve their qualifications this year and will do everything they can to minimise the disruption caused by the EIS-FELA”, a spokesperson for Colleges Scotland said: “National discussions between the Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association and the EIS-FELA have been going on for many months.
“The trigger for these discussions was an unfounded allegation from EIS-FELA that colleges were attempting to replace lecturing roles with other roles like assessors or instructors.
“This has never been the case, and the EIS-FELA have accepted this.
“The ongoing industrial action is therefore completely unnecessary.
“There is only one outstanding issue still to be finalised. This is around the wording of a national role profile for lecturers, which both sides are supportive of.
“During earlier negotiations on the national role profile for lecturers, the Employers’ Association requested that discussions continue to gain further clarification on how the role profile would be used.
“This is an entirely normal part of the negotiation process.
“It is not true that the Employers’ Association didn’t ‘ratify the deal’ as the discussion is ongoing. A consensus position is not a deal until both sides reach a final agreement.”
EIS-FELA claims the National Working Practices Agreement reached in 2019 is being breached by colleges’ use of other staff to perform teaching roles.
Eileen Imlah continued: “This is making lecturing staff feel very insecure in their positions and has led to this strike action as the only means now available to safeguard our jobs and the quality of teaching in Further Education.
“The bone of contention is whether Colleges Scotland will agree that it is lecturers who do the teaching.
“We value support staff, who are specialists in their own area, and we are not decrying these individuals. If people are teaching and not getting preparation time and getting access to proper qualifications, how can they possibly be doing a good job?”
Fearing for the impact of the long-running dispute on students and staff/student relationships, she said: “We feel for our students. We are anxious to get back to the classroom. It is where our lecturers want to be.”
When EIS-FELA last week opened a further ballot for its members to take additional industrial action, such as working to rule, Colleges Scotland again expressed disappointment, saying they believe “any escalation of this dispute is entirely unnecessary”.
A Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association spokesperson continued: “We know students are worried. However, colleges are taking steps to ensure that disruption for individuals will be at an absolute minimum at this critical time in the academic year.
“The EIS-FELA has refused repeated requests to suspend the strikes while meaningful discussions carry on – national industrial action is wholly unnecessary.”
EIS-FELA are planning further days of action on May 4 to 6, and May 11 to 13, unless an agreement can be reached before then.