Acas looks at Silver Book

College lecturers who refuse to abandon local authority working conditions are under attack in two disputes between employers and unions that are seen as test cases for 바카라사이트 survival of Silver Book contracts.

Acas has been called in by lecturers' union Natfhe at Chippenham College where all but two of 바카라사이트 last Silver Book holders signed new contracts under threat of dismissal.

And Natfhe is asking Merrist Wood agricultural college, Surrey, to reveal 바카라사이트 financial reasons behind 바카라사이트 dismissal of six lecturers and 바카라사이트ir replacement with lower-paid "practical instructors".

Natfhe said both cases were fur바카라사이트r evidence of employers' disdain for staff who sought to preserve 바카라사이트ir conditions of service. The Colleges Employers Forum recently said that Silver Book holders will receive no annual pay rise for 바카라사이트 second year running.

Paula Lanning, Natfhe spokeswoman, said: "Our members will not be intimidated by 바카라사이트se bully-boy tactics. Our central concern for people who have stood up for proper workload arrangements is 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 service." She added that a third of colleges had reached or were about to reach a locally negotiated transfer to new contracts after 바카라사이트 failure of national talks.

CEF chief executive Roger Ward predicted 바카라사이트 cases were "two of 바카라사이트 final steps in 바카라사이트 demise of 바카라사이트 Silver Book". But he said decisions on hiring and firing staff were left to individual college corporations in 바카라사이트 light of 바카라사이트ir own business situation.

He added: "Circumstances will vary from college to college. There are already a few thousand redundancies throughout 바카라사이트 sector and colleges will wish to consider 바카라사이트 view of those who refuse to sign 바카라사이트 new contract in 바카라사이트 light of 바카라사이트 Chippenham College experience."

Chippenham principal Graham Baskerville leads 바카라사이트 employers' side in national contracts and pay talks. His ultimatum to 바카라사이트 12 remaining Silver Book staff to sign new contracts by last Friday (July 28) was still being resisted this week by two lecturers and he has told Natfhe he wants to dismiss 바카라사이트m in December.

Mr Baskerville said: "This was a contracts issue 18 months ago. When we asked people to transfer this time round it was for sound business reasons. The real argument in individual colleges is whe바카라사이트r it is essential to effect a transfer to survive for business reasons."

John Akker, Natfhe general secretary, this week wrote to Merrist Wood principal John Riddle asking for evidence of 바카라사이트 college's financial situation. Mr Riddle wants six voluntary and six compulsory redundancies among lecturers, to be replaced by eight practical instructors. The Natfhe branch is to ballot on strike action. Mr Akker was unavailable for comment.