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.
UNISON's Carol Ball told delegates
that re-introducing
national bargaining was raised over four
years
ago. "Since then we've had the Griggs review,
we've had parliamentary inquiries where
national bargaining has come up... but
we are still waiting", said Carol.
"And it is not as if the Scottish Government
have had a hands-off approach to further
education. They have been quite happy
to put through massive cuts way out of
proportion to the overall reduction in
the Scottish government budget.
"They have been quite happy to force
college mergers. They have been quite
happy to plan a programme of centralisation..
So if they are dragging their feet on
this issue it's not because they need
to. It's because they've been choosing
to", said Carol.
The FE changes were hardly about efficiency.
"The amount of staff and management time
spent negotiating and overseeing all
the different sets of pay and terms and
consitions is enormous", added Carol.
"Surely it would be more efficient to
move to harmonising to the best of these
on a national basis", said Carol.
17 April 2013
