Cuts to Further Education must be reversed

#STUC16 The STUC will campaign for the new Scottish Government to provide colleges with sufficient funding to return to meeting the full range of educational needs in their local communities.

It will also call for the protection of, or improvement in, the terms and conditions of college staff.

UNISON’s James Corry, backing the Fife TUC motion, asked Congress to celebrate the recent lecturers’ victory.

UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland

Date: Friday 22 January 2016 UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland UNISON has led negotiations to achieve the first ever national pay rise for over four thousand support staff in Scotland‘s Further Education Colleges. Support staff deliver a range of vital student services and are key to the running of the 25 new colleges in Scotland. The deal was agreed at the new National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) in Edinburgh. (Orkney, Shetland and SRUC are not in scope of the new machinery). It is the first agreement since the recent college mergers. UNITE and GMB unions are also party to the national negotiations UNISON members will receive between 1-2% pay rise. Those on lower salaries will receive a higher percent rise because of the agreement to pay the living wage and £300 flat rate increase  Key features are consolidation of the real Living Wage rate of £7.85 per hour from 1 April 2015; a flat rate of £300 for all those earning under £30k per year; a standard 35 hour week across the sector; and a minimum 27 days annual leave across the sector; and 2 days extra leave for all.  Employers and trade unions have also committed to negotiate a new single pay structure and new single set of conditions of service for all staff; as well as attainment of official Living Wage accreditation of all Colleges by the end of 2016. Chris Greenshields, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s further education sector said: “UNISON is pleased to have achieved the first ever national settlement for further education support staff in Scotland. UNISON is the union for college support staff and there is something for all our members in this negotiated package. I want to congratulate UNISON members for helping to ensure all low paid workers in Scotland's Colleges are now guaranteed the Living Wage plus £300. We will continue the work hard for more gains in the 2016, in particular an equal flat rate settlement for all workers in the sector which is much fairer than a percentage increase.“ John Gallacher, Scottish organiser and UNISON lead for FE said: “This sets up the NJNC for a wider programme of negotiations. Scottish Government (post May 2016) must provide investment for a root and branch rationalisation and harmonisation of pay rates and conditions across the sector in an acceptable timescale. The disparities currently are still extreme after many years of college level bargaining” Shirley Sephton, Vice Chair, said: “UNISON members voted to accept this offer across Scotland in the knowledge that this was the best deal we could get for 2015 through negotiation. They wish to work with management to help establish National Bargaining and in return will expect all Scottish Boards to honour the national agreement and put the increase into pay as soon as possible.” ENDS  Notes for editors The full support staff deal is for: A consolidated 1% uplift for all employees (or) £300 pro rata for employees earning below £30k (whichever is the greater) The sector will pay the living wage for its directly employed staff. Commitments from the management:  The Management Side is committed to securing living wage accreditation for all colleges, the management side and the trade unions will work to achieve this by December 2016. Standardisation of the working week to 35 hours, with no detriment to earnings, the Management Side will work to achieve this standardisation by April 2016. To provide on a pro rata basis an additional unconsolidated two days annual leave entitlement for all support staff for 2015/16. To provide a minimum of 27 days leave pro rata, with no impact on the maximum entitlement from April 2015. Address as a priority leave entitlements across the sector by 31 March 2016  Will commit to look at a flat cash settlement from 2016 If there is any change to the % increase or flat cash settlement to lecturers, the support staff  will receive this To establish a short life working group, to develop an agreed timetable inclusive of a route map of key priorities and key deliverables, by 31 March 2016. The Management Side believe this offers the best prospect of introducing a workforce modernisation programme inclusive of standardisation and harmonisation across the sector. The management side envisage such a route map addressing: A national job evaluation scheme A national pay and grading scale National Conditions of service National Pay Protection Pay award will be effective from April 2015.

Staff morale at rock bottom in Scotland’s colleges, says UNISON

A UNISON report from a survey of staff in Scottish colleges, shows real problems caused by funding cuts, the college mergers programme and unaccountable college senior managers - and real concern amongst staff that education services for students are declining. The report Learning the Hard Way is published today (25 September 2015)

Its findings include: over 6 in 10 staff (64%) think college services have declined; 7 in 10 (69%) blame the Scottish Government’s merger policy; the vast majority of staff (77%) are extremely doubtful that services will improve within the next year; most staff (72%) are dissatisfied with opportunities for their own advancement; 9 in 10 (90%) staff believe Scottish colleges are underfunded.

UNISON demands Nicola Sturgeon uphold promise of no compulsory redundancies at Glasgow Kelvin College

Wednesday 3 June 2015

UNISON is calling on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, to uphold the Scottish Government promise that there would be no compulsory redundancies in Further Education sector because of the College Regionalisation programme.

Thirteen catering staff at Glasgow Kelvin College are under threat of compulsory redundancy.

Mandy McDowall, UNISON regional organiser for further education said:
"The First Minister must intervene as a matter of urgency. 

"We were informed by the Scottish Government at the beginning of the college regionalisation process there would be no requirement for compulsory redundancies within the Further Education sector, and this commitment must be honoured."

UNISON demands pay uplift for further education staff

Sun 24 May 2015

UNISON today calls for Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Education, to intervene in national pay negotiations for further education staff, which have all but broken down.

UNISON leaders are astonished at the responses they have recovered from further education employers.

UNISON lodged its pay claim on 3 February 2015.  The union is looking to agree a new pay settlement to commence on 1 April 2015. However, negotiators were astonished when employers said they needed to get the agreement of all 27 college boards before they could progress any talks and they estimate a further delay until at least October 2015.

UNISON has responded that unless employers can return with a something on the table in June 2015 then the union will consider industrial action.

Chris Greenshields, chair of the UNISON Scotland further education committee said:

“National negotiations have become farcical. College bosses say they cannot respond to UNISON’s reasonable claim until October at the earliest.

"Our members, who have delivered significant organisational change and who have suffered big job losses and increased workload, have lost patience. There is a meeting in June and, unless there is a firm proposal, then we are headed for industrial unrest in this key sector."

John Gallacher, UNISON Scottish organiser with responsibility for FE, said:

“The further education employers and Scottish Funding Council are saying there is no money in the sector, yet colleges have a £100 million nest egg hidden in arm's length trusts.

"This is public money and UNISON calls on Angela Constance to get a small part of that very large fund on to the bargaining table to address UNISON’s reasonable pay claim.

"Student attainment in FE is very high thanks to the hard work and commitment of our members.

"It is perfectly reasonable that this should be rewarded.”

ENDS 

Notes for Editors

1. UNISON claim is for £1,000 flat rate with effect from 1 April 2015. This would cost £4.4 million.

2. There are 4,443 FTE support staff in FE Scotland (3,526 FTE Lecturing staff) in 27 colleges.

3. UNISON is the largest trade union in Scotland.

UNISON condemns colleges for ‘hiding’ £99m in arms length foundations

Thursday 23 April 2015

UNISON Scotland has condemned colleges for moving £99m into ‘Arms Length Foundations’ while cutting student services and ignoring low pay.

UNISON welcomes research by the Educational Institute for Scotland, which shows that while £99m has been siphoned off into off campus bank accounts. The sector has cut staff by 9.3% (over the last three years alone). And over 300 members of staff are paid below the Living Wage.

Some of the worst low pay offenders also had the most money in arms length accounts: Ayrshire £6.6m (79 staff), City of Glasgow £21m (26 staff), Dundee and Angus £21m (91 staff). 

Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON Scotland’s further education committee said, ‘we’ve seen big cuts in student services and the sector has over 300 staff languishing below the Living Wage. So while managers hide millions in off campus accounts they claim they cannot find money to pay a decent wage rise to college staff or stop cuts to student services.’

College workers vote overwhelmingly to return to national bargaining, says UNISON

Monday 17 March 2014

UNISON, the union representing further education workers in Scotland, said its members have voted in favour of a return to national bargaining.

Union members were consulted on plans to move away from local negotiations and instead to have Scotland-wide bargaining on pay and conditions. More than 90 per cent voted in favour of the plans.

Chris Greenshields, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Further Education Committee, said: 

“There is a huge disparity in pay and conditions across Scotland’s colleges and this is not in the best interests of staff, students or the further education sector.

“Our members have voted overwhelmingly for change and national bargaining brings us the opportunity to rectify some of the inequalities which exist in the sector.”

Shirley Sephton, a trainer within the further education sector, said: 

“We have lost countless numbers of experienced staff within further education over the last few years.

“We need to be able to attract and retain high quality staff to Scotland’s colleges and they must be paid appropriately and enjoy fair conditions of employment. Despite the Scottish Government’s support for public sector workers to be paid the living wage, many colleges ignored this. National bargaining provides us with an opportunity to address this.” 

Emma Phillips, Regional Organiser for UNISON Scotland, said: 

“For a long time, our members working in the further education sector have quite rightly felt like the poor relations. Many of our members are doing the same or similar jobs but being paid very differently.

“The rot first set in during the nineties when national bargaining was abolished and each individual college started to negotiate their own pay and conditions. Now each of our colleges have different pay scales, grading structures and terms and conditions. A return to national bargaining will set us on the right path to changing this.”

ends

The Herald: College staff threaten to strike over pay dispute

24 May 2013

Andrew Denholm, of The Herald, reports today...

"STAFF at one of Scotland's largest colleges are threatening to strike in a long-running dispute over pay.

STAFF at one of Scotland's largest colleges are threatening to strike in a long-running dispute over pay.

      

Public-sector union Unison wants talks at the City of Glasgow College saying an unpopular pay settlement is being forced on staff.

Last week, Education Secretary Michael Russell praised the college for its successful merger and principal Paul Little wrote to staff thanking them for their "superb team effort".
      
However, Martin Clark, Unison steward at the college, said about 300 support staff had rejected a pay offer of a flat rate rise of just £250 for those earning less than £21,000 and nothing for those on more.

"If the college merger is such a success, why are our members not being offered a proper pay award?" asked Mr Clark. "We want to get back round the table and talk with them, or we will have no option but to move towards a ballot for industrial action.""

Full story at The Herald

See UNISON's news release
.

City college praised for successful merger faces possible strike ballot - UNISON

Thu 23 May 2013

UNISON today called for talks at the City of Glasgow College after managers threatened to impose a pay settlement that has been rejected by support staff.

Only last week Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell praised the college over its supposedly successful merger, with colleges around Scotland lined up for similar mergers.

And College Principal Paul Little wrote to all members of staff thanking them for their “superb team effort” in making the pathfinder merger a success.

But around 300 - mainly women - support staff have rejected a pay offer from last August that would give nothing at all to those earning above £21,000.

Those on under £21,000 would receive just a £250 flat rate rise per spinal column point on the pay scale.

Martin Clark, UNISON steward at City of Glasgow College, said: “If the college merger is such a success, why are our members not being offered a proper pay award? Instead the college is talking about imposing this.

“We want to get back round the table and talk with them, or we will have no option but to move towards a ballot for industrial action.”

Scott Donohoe, assistant branch secretary at Glasgow City UNISON, added: “We think there should be more money on the table. Staff have worked really hard. The Principal said he is working to bring all staff along together in an inclusive and people-centred way.

“If so, and if the merger is such a success, his workforce should be celebrating, not balloting. This can be sorted out by giving our members a fair pay rise.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working to deliver vital public services.

2. The City of Glasgow College was created in September 2010 through the merger of Central College, Glasgow Metropolitan College and Glasgow College of Nautical Studies.

3. UNISON members rejected the pay offer in a consultative ballot this month. If the College imposes the offer, UNISON will be moving to a ballot for industrial action.

.

Devastating impact of FE cuts on economy and workforce

#stuc13 The STUC will camapign against Scottish Government further education cuts which will 'have a devastating impact on the Scottish economy and workforce'. Full story http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2013/13.html

Bring national bargaining back to further education

UNISON joined forces with the EIS to win STUC backing for the re-establishment of national bargaining in FE in Scotland at the earliest opportunity with the full involvement of trade unions in the further education sector. Full story http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2013/10.html

Don't treat Scotland's colleges and support staff like Cinderella, UNISON tells MSPs

7 March 2013
Scotland’s college support staff union UNISON will today (Thursday 7 March) demand that our colleges should be properly funded and call on the Scottish Government to stop treating Further Education as a Cinderella service.

A postcard petition representing the 1,300 jobs which have been lost in FE as a result of recent cuts will be delivered to Scottish ministers, pointing out that short terms cuts mean long term damage to our economy and some of our neediest communities and people.

UNISON activists will lobby MSPs in the Parliament and a meeting will be held in Committee Room 1 at 2.45PM hosted by Neil Findlay MSP.

Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON’s Further Education Committee, will say:

"Scotland can no longer sit by and let our colleges be turned into a Cinderella service by another year of savage cuts. We urgently need the Scottish government to explain to us how they are planning to protect jobs and services for our students in the wake of more rounds of job cuts.

"Services are being decimated even before the predicted job losses as a result of mergers and no-one at the Scottish Government is asking why.

"Our college staff and students deserve better. Support staff provide invaluable services which enable our students to prosper after they take their first steps into education. Without these essential services many college students will fail to progress and millions of pounds of public money will be wasted.

"College students need support services more than most as many are taking their first steps into education.

"College staff and students are no Cinderellas. We deserve to go to the education ball on a fair equal and properly funded basis."

·         There will be opportunities for pictures of Cinderella and the postcard petition at 1pm outside the Scottish Parliament




ends



Notes for editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland and represents a range of staff delivering important services in further and higher education.

2. Already more than 1,300 jobs have been lost from Scotland's vital FE colleges in the 18 months or so before Education Secretary Mike Russell announced that he wanted a further £50 million of savings as a result of mergers.

3. In written and oral evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee on the Post-16 Education Bill on 5 February, UNISON argued that Russell's cuts  "will have a catastrophic effect on the key services our members provide to our students. We cannot continue to cut while the sector deals with the biggest changes in over 20 years."
UNISON's full written evidence to the Committee can be found on our website here:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Post16Education_EvidencetoSPEducation+CultureCttee_Jan2013.pdf 


.

  

Save our colleges, UNISON FE members tell MSPs

Tue 5 Feb 2013

Scotland’s college support staff union UNISON will today (Tuesday 5 February) give evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee on the Post-16 Education Bill


Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON’s Further Education Committee, will today (Tuesday 5 February) tell MSPs that college cuts and mergers will have a catastrophic effect on key services to students.

In evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee on the Post-16 Education Bill, Chris will tell MSPs:

“We have already lost more than 1,300 jobs in Scotland Colleges in 18 months alone - before Education Secretary Mike Russell announced that he wanted a further £50 million of savings as a result of mergers.

“We think this that will have a catastrophic effect on the key services our members provide to our students. We cannot continue to cut while the sector deals with the biggest changes in over 20 years.

“We believe this is gambling with our students' future.”

The cuts have also seen vocational courses like aeronautical and aircraft engineering, computer animation, digital gaming, green-keeping, and horticulture disappearing alongside opportunities for part time students.

Chris Greenshields said:
“Thousands of people were unable to find a college place this year. We believe that regionalisation could make a difficult situation worse. We believe college regionalisation is about budget cuts not improvement.”

UNISON’s college staff in Scotland are planning to step up their campaign to save further education.

Regional Organiser Emma Phillips said:
“Members working in FE have been facing a double whammy of deep funding cuts and a series of difficult mergers with minimal consultation.

“Our FE committee has been campaigning along with the National Union of Students and other community activists and trade unions.

“Around 1300 UNISON postcards signed by members and supporters calling for an end to short-term cuts and long-term damage will be delivered as a petition to the Scottish Parliament. That is one for every job lost in FE colleges in the last couple of years.

“We are calling on Education Secretary Mike Russell to guarantee: decent funding for colleges; no compulsory redundancies; no more privatisation in colleges; an end to so-called ‘back office’ cuts - and a Living Wage for all staff whether directly employed or working for contractors.

“We plan to build our campaign with a lobby of MSPs and local campaign initiatives in colleges across Scotland through 2013.”

ends


Notes for editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland and represents a range of staff delivering important services in further and higher education.

2. UNISON Scotland's written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee on the Post-16 Education Bill can be found on our website here:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/
Post16Education_EvidencetoSPEducation+CultureCttee_Jan2013.pdf


.

UNISON wins pay deal of up to 4% at South Lanarkshire College

Wed 23 Jan 2013

UNISON members at South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride have won a landmark pay deal which will see a rise of more than 4% for the lowest paid staff.

The negotiated pay increase of 2.95% or £550 (whichever is greater) plus a consolidated £15 on all scale points will be backdated from 1 August 2012.

Graeme Forrester, UNISON’s lead negotiator at South Lanarkshire College, said:

"We welcome this pay award, which will see our lowest paid members receive an increase in excess of 4% in real terms.

“And the offer also increases the minimum annual leave entitlement from 22 to 25 days - which is a victory in UNISON’s ongoing fight for equality for all workers."

The final deal includes an additional three unconsolidated annual leave days offered and a consolidated salary uplift of £15 (pro-rata) in addition to the previously tabled 2.95%. That means most staff will benefit from a consolidated salary increase of more than 3%.

Regional Organiser Robert Rae said:

“This is an excellent deal at a time when public sector workers face a pay freeze, rising prices and cuts to vital services – especially in further education.

“Securing a decent advance in pay and holidays  in the current climate shows once again that workers are stronger together in UNISON.”

ends

Note for editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland and represents staff in all of Scotland’s local authorities. UNISON represents staff in all of Scotland’s further education college.

.

Students being turned away by colleges highlights need for support services

Wed 2 Jan 2013

UNISON today called on Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell to guarantee proper staffing for support services in colleges, after figures showed thousands of suitably qualified students are being turned away.

Figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests show colleges across Scotland don’t have places for thousands of applicants, with many put onto waiting lists.

UNISON, the union representing college support staff, is deeply concerned about the impact of massive cuts to college budgets and warned that students rely heavily on support services, including for choosing the correct course after guidance.

Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON’s Further Education Committee, said: “This proves there is a greater need for more support services to quickly deal with the increase in applications we have seen for college courses over the last few years, not fewer, as suggested by current proposals.

“Applicants require a quick response to avoid languishing on waiting lists for months. If the planned £50 million savings result in slashing of support staff jobs then this will make the position more difficult for applicants to get quick and clear responses from colleges in relation to their applications and their future.

“We have lost 1300 jobs in the sector in the last year alone. If further cuts in support staff numbers take place, there won't be enough support staff left in our colleges to answer the phones, never mind provide the proper pre-entry support and guidance which our college applicants require.

“We need guarantees from Mr Russell that support services in our colleges will be properly staffed. UNISON is seeking urgent discussions with the Scottish Government to ensure that staff numbers won't fall further after the mergers. Also, as we have said frequently, there is no evidence that mergers will result in the huge savings predicted through shared services.”

ENDS

Notes for editors
The FOI responses were released by the Scottish Liberal Democrats: http://scotlibdems.org.uk/news/2013/01/figures-reveal-thousands-are-being-turned-away-college  

Scottish UNISON Scotland publications on current aspects of Further Education:

College regionalisation response

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response%20to%20college%20regionalisation%20proposals%20december%20201%85.pdf 

Examples of problems with mergers

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/MergerofEdinburghColleges_June2012.pdf

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/MergerofScottishAgriculturalCollegeandLandbasedColleges_May2012.pdf

FE governance response

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Evidence%20to%20review%20of%20FE%20governance%20%20October%202011.pdf 

Post 16 education response

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response%20to%20Putting%20learners%20at%20the%20centre%20post%2016%20educati%85.pdf  

(Newspaper reports today on thousands of students turned away: Daily Record, Evening Times )

.

Post-16 Education Bill – UNISON comment

UNISON Scotland today warned of more job losses and college course cuts as a result of Scottish Government college merger plans.

Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON’s Further Education Committee, said following publication of the Post-16 Education Bill: “Where does the Minister plan to find the £50 million savings as a result of mergers? Is it from more job losses and cuts to key services for our students?

“We have already witnessed this year services for college students stretched to breaking point, with many concerned that they still won’t have student grants and loans in their banks before Christmas, after starting in August.

“This is affecting the chances of many of our students surviving financially. Perhaps Mr Russell is referring to savings to the education budget as a result of students withdrawing and ending up on benefits.

“Many other student support services in our colleges are also being affected by the cuts to college budgets – cuts the Scottish Government has now confirmed.

“Many services are either slower with opening times reduced or are not being delivered at all. These services are key to students choosing the correct course after appropriate guidance and then being able to survive the challenges of college life.

 “Is he going to guarantee that student services won’t be worse off after mergers ? The Minister needs to explain where the savings will be found.”

UNISON is concerned that shared services are once again being held up as the route to savings, despite the lack of evidence.

Shared services have at best a mixed history. Savings predictions rarely materialise and where they do, because of the high implementation costs, they take at least five years to break even. Where money has been saved, it’s usually through job cuts.

Chris Greenshields added:  “We are also very disappointed that, despite the Minister stating that he was keen to ensure that unions are fully involved, there is no place for union representation on the new regional boards. Staff representatives are of course welcome, but they perform a very different role from that of a union rep.”

            

ENDS

  

Notes for editors

1. UNISON Scotland’s response to the consultation on college regionalisation is at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response%20to%20college%20regionalisation%20proposals%20december%20201%85.pdf

2. Information and briefings on shared services are on our website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/sharedservices/index.html

3. Our response to the consultation on the merger of Edinburgh Colleges is at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/MergerofEdinburghColleges_June2012.pdf

.

Further Education debate must concentrate on cuts not confusion says college union

Thursday 22 Nov 2012

UNISON, the union representing college support staff, today issued a plea for the Scottish Parliament debate on Further Education ( FE)  to concentrate on “The real issue of cuts to college places and college services”, rather than  a political bunfight  over who said what to whom.

The union pointed out that the teaching grant to colleges - which includes the funding for the vast bulk of the staff is declining by 35%.  This is having an impact on students and colleges across the board 

Cuts are impacting on courses, on availability and the quality of education provided. Courses being cut across Scotland include vocational courses like aeronautical and aircraft engineering, computer animation, digital gaming, green-keeping, and horticulture.

The focus on young and full time students is being maintained at the expense of other potential students. This is impacting particularly on women, mature returners to learning and carers.

There is a particular decline in support services such as career guidance and counselling, which are important in ensuring that students complete and make the most of  courses

Speaking ahead of the debate, Chris Greenshields,  chair of UNISON’s Further Education Committee said

“For our members this is about far more than who said what to whom. We hope Parliament  will concentrate not on what has been said in Holyrood - but in what is happening in our colleges. Across Scotland, key services to students are being cut back or removed  - that’s if they can manage to get a course in the first place.”        

Notes to editors

Previous UNISON Publications on current aspects of Further Education

College regionalisation response

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response%20to%20college%20regionalisation%20proposals%20december%20201%85.pdf

Examples of problems with mergers

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/MergerofEdinburghColleges_June2012.pdf

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/MergerofScottishAgriculturalCollegeandLandbasedColleges_May2012.pdf

FE governance response

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Evidence%20to%20review%20of%20FE%20governance%20%20October%202011.pdf

Post 16 education response

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/Response%20to%20Putting%20learners%20at%20the%20centre%20post%2016%20educati%85.pdf

UNISON staff at Stow College call for openness, transparency - and union representation

Wed 14 Nov 2012

Commenting after the resignation of the Stow College chair, Chris Greenshields, UNISON steward at Stow College said:

"This row over the use of a recording device at a meeting to discuss matters of vital importance to students and staff at Scotland's FE colleges was unfortunate, but it highlights wider issues of openness, transparency - and union representation.

"Cuts, mergers and regionalisation are going ahead without full involvement of FE staff and their representatives in the process.

There is a lack of representation of unions at board level - despite the Minister saying that he wished the unions to be 'fully involved in the process of change' in colleges.

"As FE colleges head into mergers, we must reiterate our call for democratically elected local officials of our recognised trade unions to be given places on the new Boards.  Such representation would ensure the transparency and accountability of government ministers in their dealings with the FE colleges - including Stow College.

"Over 1300 jobs have been lost in Scotland’s colleges last year alone. The prospect of further damaging budget cuts means the sector is facing a difficult future.

"The number of jobs which have been lost in our colleges is unsustainable and damaging to the chances of our students successfully completing their course of study.

"All of our efforts should be on the disastrous implications of the current cuts to budgets, courses and jobs on our current and future students. Unions need to be able to represent college staff in the places where the decisions are being taken."

Chris Greenshields, chair of UNISON Scotland FE Committee and steward at Stow College
Wed 14 Nov 2012

ends

.

Save our FE - March and Rally Glasgow Sat 6 Oct

4 Oct 2012

UNISON Scotland is supporting the Save Further Education march and rally in Glasgow on Saturday.

Chris Greenshields, of the FE Committee, will be speaking at the event which highlights the damaging cuts to funding to colleges.

UNISON's recent submission to the Scottish Parliament's highlighted many of the issues facing colleges. You can read it here. It was also reported in The Herald.

Full march details are online here.


.

UNISON in The Herald: Holyrood warned college merging is not a quick fix

Holyrood warned college merging is not a quick fix

24 September 2012
Andrew Denholm

...The Scottish Government's strategy of regionalisation also came under fire from unions, which have submitted evidence to the education committee.
A paper from Unison, the country's largest public-sector union, says: "Colleges are already cutting jobs and closing courses in response to funding cuts. We expect there will be far more as the cuts begin to bite.
"Colleges will also face the added complications of a new regional structure and the funding cuts also seem to be encouraging many colleges to merge.
"We believe that regionalisation could make a difficult situation worse."
Unison said the problems faced by colleges were a result of the Scottish Governmnent's decision to prioritise higher education.
"The priority in post 16-education appears to be the Government's commitment to free higher education for Scottish students," the paper added.
"Further education budgets have on the other hand been cut by 13.5% over the next three years – a £70 million cut."
...

Full story on The Herald website:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/news/education/holyrood-warned-college-merging-is-not-a-quick-fix.18944169

See UNISON Evidence on HE and FE to the Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee on the Scottish Budget 2013-14 (Sep 2012)
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/EvidenceonHEandFE_EducationandCultureCttee_Budget2013-14_Sep2012.pdf