UHI colleges set to strike next month amid threats of redundancies from employers
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Colleges within the University of the Highlands and Islands are set to join 10 others for a seven day Scotland-wide walkout in a dispute over pay, terms, and conditions as UNISON says it is "time for the Scottish Government to get involved.”
The union confirms that the localised action will take place in October from the 4–6 and 9–12 with more dates set to follow amid what it calls the “worst year for industrial unrest in the college sector in living memory.”
The latest round of industrial action will see local strikes come after more than 2000 support staff took to the picket lines earlier this month. The union said college employers issued a pay offer at the end of May which came with a very clear threat of compulsory redundancies for college support staff.
The UHI Colleges where UNISON has a mandate to take strike action are – UHI Argyll; UHI Moray; UHI Perth; and UHI Inverness.
UNISON said there has been no movement or attempt to resolve the dispute by college employers. That is despite four dispute meetings, the involvement of ACAS – the body charged with improving industrial relations – and two proposals.
If there is no further movement from college employers, the strikes will continue into the Autumn and beyond if needed is the message from the union representing college staff
UNISON members in colleges voted overwhelmingly (93 per cent) in April to strike with the union representing librarians, IT specialists, technicians, administrative and business support staff, cleaners, canteen workers and estate management staff.
Further education branch secretary Chris Greenshields said: “We are heading for the worst year for industrial unrest in the sector in living memory, if we are not there already.
“Three unions and thousands of college staff have already taken action to defend their right to a pay rise free from threat with more strike days to follow. There is a real danger that this dispute could go on until 2024”.
“With the pay award now over a year late you might think the Scottish Government would step in to resolve the issue. Unfortunately, we have a minister who is refusing to deal with the single biggest issue facing the sector in years and saying he is unable or unwilling to get involved.
“College staff, students, politicians and members of the public are wondering what else can be more important than this for the Minister for Further & Higher Education. This needs urgent government involvement now".
The current dates of strike action are:
- October 4 – Dundee & Angus College, Fife College, Glasgow Clyde College
- October 5 – West Lothian, North Highland, Moray College
- October 6 – Forth Valley, Perth College, Inverness College
- October 9– Dumfries & Galloway, Ayrshire College,
- October 10 – City of Glasgow, Glasgow Kelvin College West College Scotland
- October 11 – New College Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire
- October 12 – North East Scotland College, Edinburgh
