National strike action across Scotland’s colleges

Text of a Socialist Party Scotland leaflet

Socialist Party Scotland send our support and solidarity to EIS-FELA and UNISON members taking strike action in colleges across Scotland in September 7. The fact that action is taking place on the same day is a big step forward in building cross-union strikes against a brutal employer.

These strikes come at a time of a revival of the strike wave. Council workers, university staff and railworkers are also amongst those due to strike in September.

EIS-FELA

The EIS – FELA’s dispute goes back to promises of a pay uplift from September 2022. Yet, Colleges Scotland’s offers pertaining to this have all come with the sacrificing of jobs in exchange to these pay increases.

Positions such as Principle and other high-ranking positions in colleges can net over £100,000 per annum, more than double or triple the current average salary of college lecturers.

EIS – FELA have announced strikes over twelve days starting on Thursday the 7th of September in colleges throughout Scotland, with rolling strikes involving at two colleges per day for the weeks following.

After this, strikes will then target Scottish government minister’s constituencies, including the first minister, the cabinet minister for education, and the minister for further education. During these times it is vital for solidarity across departments in educational institutions and for lecturers to join the EIS-FELA. Additionally, lecturers in other unions should show their solidarity by pressuring their own unions to support the EIS – FELA action.

Colleges will put in place alternative arrangements to not impact their student’s education. Students have a choice to not cross these picket lines to attend “alternative arrangements”.

Students joining their lecturers and college support staff on the picket lines can only add strength to achieving strike demands and protecting jobs.

UNISON

Following a 93% vote for strike action, more than 2,000 UNISON support staff in colleges across Scotland are striking on September 7. Like EIS-FELA, the action will be followed by a rolling programme of dates for localised action in colleges across the country.

The strike arises following a threat of with a real threat of compulsory redundancies of college support staff. This is the kick in the teeth following an increased pay offer from 2% to £3,500 flat rate payment over two years by the employers.

UNISON further education branch secretary Chris Greenshields said:

“College staff were due this pay increase a year ago. It’s unacceptable, even by the standards of the college sector, to take this long to agree a pay deal. The employers’ idea of a resolution to the crisis is to threaten our members with compulsory redundancy.

“Effectively members are being asked to pay for their own pay rise with their job, during a cost-of-living crisis. We need the same guarantee that has been given to the rest of the public sector that there will be no compulsory redundancies.”