Comment on National Strike Day and Latest Audit Scotland Report
Gavin Donoghue, Director of College Employers Scotland, said:
“Today’s national strike action by the EIS-FELA, UNISON and Unite is deeply disappointing and will only cause disruption and anxiety for students.
“Colleges have activated plans to mitigate the impact of these strikes, and the vast majority of colleges across Scotland will remain open today.
“College Employers Scotland provided a full and final pay offer to the EIS-FELA and the support staff trade unions (UNISON, Unite and GMB) in June for a cumulative £3,500 pay rise.
“This offer would provide an average pay rise of 8% for lecturers and 11%, on average, for support staff. For support staff earning less than £25,000, the average increase would be over 14%. For lecturers at the start of the pay scale, the increase would be around 10% to a starting salary of almost £39,000 a year.
“Audit Scotland’s new report on the college sector, published today, is explicit that rising staffing costs are colleges’ biggest financial pressure and that staff costs already account for around 70 per cent of the sector’s spending.
“Given the huge financial pressures already facing colleges, we hope the EIS-FELA, UNISON and Unite call off their plans for rolling strike action and recommend the employers’ pay offer to their members.
“College Employers Scotland remains open to meeting the trade unions any time to avoid further disruptive strike action in the college sector.”
“Today’s national strike action by the EIS-FELA, UNISON and Unite is deeply disappointing and will only cause disruption and anxiety for students.
“Colleges have activated plans to mitigate the impact of these strikes, and the vast majority of colleges across Scotland will remain open today.
“College Employers Scotland provided a full and final pay offer to the EIS-FELA and the support staff trade unions (UNISON, Unite and GMB) in June for a cumulative £3,500 pay rise.
“This offer would provide an average pay rise of 8% for lecturers and 11%, on average, for support staff. For support staff earning less than £25,000, the average increase would be over 14%. For lecturers at the start of the pay scale, the increase would be around 10% to a starting salary of almost £39,000 a year.
“Audit Scotland’s new report on the college sector, published today, is explicit that rising staffing costs are colleges’ biggest financial pressure and that staff costs already account for around 70 per cent of the sector’s spending.
“Given the huge financial pressures already facing colleges, we hope the EIS-FELA, UNISON and Unite call off their plans for rolling strike action and recommend the employers’ pay offer to their members.
“College Employers Scotland remains open to meeting the trade unions any time to avoid further disruptive strike action in the college sector.”