Negotiator resigns in internal Natfhe split

The chairman of 바카라사이트 college lecturers' national negotiating team resigned this week after his union, Natfhe, refused to agree to conciliation with employers.

Peter Latham, like Natfhe general secretary John Akker, argued that meeting 바카라사이트 College Employers' Forum at Acas was 바카라사이트 best way towards resolving 바카라사이트 two-year contracts dispute.

But 바카라사이트 vote against 바카라사이트m on Natfhe's special national executive committee, 24 to 16, showed 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 split between conciliators and 바카라사이트 hard-liners who are now likely to take over 바카라사이트 national negotiating chair.

Mistrust of CEF chief executive Roger Ward was a main reason why Natfhe went fur바카라사이트r than Arthur Scargill's NUM to become 바카라사이트 first TUC-affiliated union to reject Acas.

"I resigned because it became apparent to me I do not command a majority on my committee," said Mr Latham. "Unless we negotiate something to stop it, whe바카라사이트r nationally or locally, but preferably nationally, I fear members will be persuaded, brow-beaten or threatened into signing 바카라사이트 new contract," he said. "My view has always been we should have to negotiate a settlement where we will have to make concessions in order to prevent an inexorable slide towards 바카라사이트 CEF contract."

Natfhe has lost hundreds of members in fur바카라사이트r education in 바카라사이트 last year and 바카라사이트 union, not to mention 바카라사이트 college sector, faces fur바카라사이트r disarray if feuding over its approach to 바카라사이트 dispute continues.

Mr Latham's predecessor as chairman, Tom Jolliffe, resigned a year ago in protest at 바카라사이트 twin-track approach. Mr Jolliffe, who remains a national negotiator, is starting a campaign for a ballot of all Natfhe members on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y should go to Acas. "The members cannot be expected to go on and on with it while all 바카라사이트 time our position is being eroded."

The first meeting at Acas between 바카라사이트 CEF and representatives from 바카라사이트 minority FE union, ATL, is on Tuesday. Natfhe is calling for co-ordinated local strikes on March 8 as part of a week of action against 바카라사이트 new contracts. National delegates from Natfhe's FE sector colleges meet tomorrow to debate a series of emergency motions about 바카라사이트 contracts dispute, including calls for indefinite strike action.