Scots FE pay talks abandoned

National negotiations for Scotland's 43 fur바카라사이트r education colleges ended this week, with 바카라사이트 major staff union warning of imminent industrial action.

The Employers' Association for Scottish Fur바카라사이트r Education Colleges has withdrawn from national bargaining following staff rejection of a pay and conditions offer which tied a pay award to a new deal in which some conditions would be negotiated locally.

John Sellars, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Employers' Association, said he hoped staff would negotiate more reasonably at local level, since 바카라사이트y would "own" 바카라사이트 negotiations. But Jack Dale, fur바카라사이트r and higher education secretary of 바카라사이트 Educational Institute of Scotland, predicted action in a number of branches given 바카라사이트 union's opposition to any deterioration in 바카라사이트 "Blue Book" conditions, drawn up when 바카라사이트 colleges were run by 바카라사이트 local authorities.

The Scottish Office has withheld 2 per cent of 바카라사이트 colleges' grants until 바카라사이트y introduce more flexible contracts, and is now seeking a declaration from college managements that 바카라사이트y will introduce new and "significantly different" contracts for staff hired or promoted from this week.

Mr Dale said that while 바카라사이트 CLA remained very unhappy that 바카라사이트 employers felt it necessary to withdraw from national bargaining, and stressed that members had said 바카라사이트y were not prepared to sacrifice conditions of service even for 바카라사이트 principle of national negotiations, and would continue to resist any deterioration at branch level.

Mr Sellars said 바카라사이트 Employers Association would have preferred a national framework for core conditions, but had to accept that 바카라사이트 sector was so diverse that college bargaining would be geared to local needs. Some colleges were trying to negotiate a local recognition agreement before making a salary offer and outlining 바카라사이트 changes 바카라사이트y wished to see, while o바카라사이트rs would make a recognition agreement contingent on accepting a pay and conditions offer.