I am very pleased to hear that following national talks , Fife College has suspended the deeming of lecturers’ wages and EIS FELA have suspended strike action for this week.
I wrote to Fife College principal Jim Metcalfe last week asking that he reconsider the college’s position on deeming wages as I believe it is an unhelpful escalation in an already difficult set of circumstances.
As such, I urged him to end this approach and find a way to work with EIS FELA members to bring an end to this dispute – for the benefit of workers, students and further education as a whole.
I hope that this is a signal that talks can continue in a constructive manner and that college management and lecturers can work together to find a solution that will deliver a fair deal for workers that demonstrates the tremendous value of further education.
I have been consistent in supporting lecturers at Fife College and have been regularly writing to Minister for Higher and Further Education, Graeme Dey MSP, calling on him to intervene in the ongoing dispute to find a deal that supports lecturers while also securing the longevity of our colleges into the future.
