£80m cost of national pay deal for college lecturers
Ministers warned more financial help needed as talks hit stalemate
THE full cost of delivering national pay scales for lecturers in Scottish further education could be as much as £80 million, college bosses have estimated.
Colleges Scotland, which represents principals, argue that the cost of the proposed increase in pay – in addition to the annual £440m already spent on staff salaries – will be £53m while a job evaluation scheme to help implement it will cost £26.5m.
The figures emerged as talks over the implementation of national pay rates appear to have reached stalemate, despite a deal being reached in March.
They were included in a submission to the Scottish Government’s 2017 spending review and lays bare the scale of the financial challenge facing the sector at a time of cuts.
It states: “On a practical level, Colleges Scotland is looking for the Scottish Government to work with us... and provide the investment to support the new structure following the reintroduction of national bargaining.
“Colleges will continue to seek to identify savings through productivity gains, but the implementation of sustainable national bargaining and new working practices will require significant investment.
“Considerable work is required over the next few years to deliver national pay scales and implement modernised terms and conditions of service. We would hope the Scottish Government would support the need for change.”
In its manifesto for the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections the SNP pledged to introduce national pay bargaining for colleges as part of wider reforms of the sector, including a host of mergers.
Under the previous system of local bargaining, significant differences have opened up in terms and conditions, with some staff earning as much as £12,000 more for a similar job. The March agreement established £40,000 as the top of the salary scale for an unpromoted lecturer, with increases phased in over three years.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the country’s largest teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland warned staff would take action if colleges tried to back out.
He said: “The Scottish Government, which supported the agreement and has made additional funds available to support its implementation, is ultimately responsible for ensuring it is implemented and we are clear we will not accept any suggestion of colleges reneging and will take action if necessary.”
Last week, Pam Currie, the vice-president of Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA), blamed confusing advice from Colleges Scotland for the problems.
She said: “This is no incompetent bumbling on the part of the management, but a deliberate and concerted effort to undermine and unpick the agreement.”
Meanwhile, UNISON is to hold talks with Colleges Scotland at the conciliation service ACAS in a bid to resolve a pay dispute involving further education support staff that has already seen two days of strike action.
Colleges awarded lecturing staff a flat rate rise of £450, while most support staff were offered £230.