Created on: 19 Jun 2024
Members of the EIS-FELA will be holding a national rally outside the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Thursday 20th June) at 11:15am as part of its ongoing programme of industrial action in a long-running dispute over pay.
The timing of the rally coincides with First Minister’s Questions, and EIS-FELA is keen to ensure its voice is heard by elected MSPs in the chamber.
EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “It is way past time that the Scottish Government stood up for FE, stood up for college lecturers and took action to help bring a resolution to this dispute. As well as having to struggle for a fair pay rise, lecturers have faced increasingly aggressive anti-trade union tactics from employers, including the threat to ‘deem wages’ – withholding of up to 100% of salary – for taking part in legitimate action short of strike action (ASOS). This despicable tactic from many college managements has only inflamed the situation and if threats are carried out will place lecturers under even greater financial pressure”.
Ms Bradley continued, “The Scottish Government needs to finally stand up and be counted on this: fully protect the right of working people in Scotland to take industrial action; and provide the small amount of money required to resolve this industrial dispute in this part of the public sector, as it has done previously for NHS staff and other public sector workers.”
Graeme Dey, the Scottish Government Minister responsible for the FE sector has been invited to the rally. EIS-FELA is keen to ensure that the Minister hears the views of members directly since he is accountable for the Government’s decisions. At the time of writing, he has not responded to the invitation.
Speakers will include:
Allan Crosbie (President, EIS)
Anne-Marie Harley (President, EIS FELA)
Andrea Bradley (General Secretary, EIS)
Roz Foyer (General Secretary, STUC)
Sher Khalid-Ali (Student activist)
Other Speakers