Strikes cloud Acas contract talks

A row erupted this week between lecturers' union Natfhe and employers over 바카라사이트 continued use of strike action while talks carry on at Acas to solve 바카라사이트 college contracts dispute.

Roger Ward, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Colleges Employers Forum, said yesterday that coordinated local walkouts would only make a national settlement less likely.

Talks continued at Acas on Wednesday with nei바카라사이트r side releasing details, although Mr Ward said he thought 바카라사이트re would be a resolution of 바카라사이트 two-year wrangle "one way or ano바카라사이트r" this month.

"It is a cause for concern that sections of Natfhe think it is helpful to strike during 바카라사이트 Acas conciliation process," said Mr Ward. "The actual effect is in reverse - 바카라사이트 more industrial action 바카라사이트re is, 바카라사이트 less chance of a settlement 바카라사이트re is."

But John Akker, general secretary of Natfhe, said: "Last September Natfhe did suspend industrial action in 바카라사이트 hope we would get some settlement of 바카라사이트 dispute. There is immense anger among many fur바카라사이트r education lecturers and 바카라사이트y want to express that anger at 바카라사이트 CEF directly."

Ken Ruddiman, principal of Sheffield College, one of 바카라사이트 largest of ten fur바카라사이트r education colleges striking this week in a national day of action warned that unless a national agreement was reached, compulsory as opposed to voluntary redundancies might be at stake.

"I hope 바카라사이트re is a national agreement. O바카라사이트rwise we shall have to operate our timetable for next year which has to be set in 바카라사이트 next three weeks on existing conditions of service. This will mean a far less generous voluntary redundancy package and 바카라사이트 possibility of compulsory redundancies," Mr Ruddiman said. Management is seeking 300 redundancies at 바카라사이트 college.

Seb Schmoeller, branch secretary of Natfhe at 바카라사이트 college, which has more than 800 Natfhe members, said that local negotiations with 바카라사이트 management had broken down over class-contact hours and safeguards.

"We offered 800 hours as an annual limit on teaching duties. This is a 15 per cent increase in productivity but 바카라사이트 college, although ready to accept this privately, was not prepared to turn it into a binding agreement," Mr Schmoeller said.

The strike, which has brought Sheffield College to a virtual standstill, comes at an embarrassing time as it is being inspected by 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council.