The latest chapter in the ongoing drama about lecturer pay is now available for you to read.
In what feels like chapter 378 of the epic saga, the Further Education Lecturers’ Association (EIS-FELA) teaching union is considering withholding students’ assessment results from their college management systems.
In its latest newsletter, the union has revealed that it is planning to ballot members on industrial action short of strike action.
“We are now moving to escalation with a ballot for action short of a strike as well as the ongoing strike action,” the union states. “The proposed action will involve withholding assessment results - not from the students but from management systems.”
There have already been two days of strikes and a further two are planned for March - but there has been no breakthrough in the dispute. Colleges Scotland, which represents employers, has described the union’s proposal as “wantonly playing with students’ life opportunities at a crucial time for them and their education”.
It added that such a move would have a “devastating impact on students’ chances of moving on to other courses at college or going to university to study, as the Scottish Qualifications Authority would not be able to externally verify the results and students would not receive certificates nor be able to graduate”.
But EIS-FELA president Pam Currie said that the union has attempted to negotiate with management for over two years.
She said that earlier this month, the union had expected management to come back to the table with a revised offer, ready to negotiate. Instead, a prepared statement was read out indicating that there was no new offer. “We made it clear to management that if they failed to enter into meaningful negotiations, we would have no option but to escalate our action,” said Currie.
While a deal to harmonise pay and protect core conditions was agreed in May 2017, a cost-of-living increase has not been.
According to Colleges Scotland, lecturers have been offered an increase that would take the average pay rise from 9 per cent to 12.2 per cent - or an average cash increase of over £4,000 - but this has been rejected.
The colleges argue that an improvement on that offer would not be affordable, but the union disputes that.
