Fife MSP supports striking college staff in Dunfermline

Alex Rowley showed his support to the staff and joined them on what was the Further Education Lecturers Association's (EIS-FELA) February 29 day of action for a fair pay settlement.

The strike, a continuation of the dispute over the pay offer for 2022/23, marks the beginning of a fresh round of action taken by the trade union that represents college lectures and support staff after an industrial action mandate was secured in a vote in January.

Mr Rowley said: “I was pleased to join the picket line at Fife College on EIS-FELA’s and Unison’s day of action to offer my support to striking staff who are fighting for fair pay, fair funding, and the future of Scotland’s college sector.

“Further education is absolutely crucial to so many across the country and in Fife more school leavers will sign up for college as opposed to university so it is crucial that our colleges are able to function and give students the best opportunities.

"But, it seems colleges, already at breaking point from years of reduced funding, are expected to take the brunt of any cuts to the education budget."

EIS-FELA states that College Employers Scotland, the representative body for colleges as employers that engage in pay negotiations with the trade unions “have been unable to make an acceptable pay offer to EIS-FELA and have not been able to guarantee that financing any pay award would not result in job losses.”

Mr Rowley said that college funding saw a cut of £32.7 million in the latest budget from the Scottish Government, meaning college funding has been cut by 8.5% in real terms since 2021.

Mr Rowley said the Scottish Government’s latest cuts to college funding were “unacceptable in the midst of a skills gap crisis in Scotland” and that a fair pay settlement for college staff “should not come at the expense of their colleagues’ jobs.”

Alex Rowley joining the striking college staff in Fife (Image: Supplied)

He continued: “I have repeatedly raised the issue of Scotland’s skills gap and the detrimental impact this will have on our economy in the very near future, so I would argue we need investment in further education for the benefit of staff, students, and the wider economy, not more catastrophic cuts.

“I note the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Graeme Dey MSP, has regularly referred to the poor state of industrial relations in the further education sector, including as recently as January this year, yet he has been in post since March of last year, so I wonder what exactly the Scottish Government is doing to improve industrial relations.

“There are many good opportunities in Fife for people that have the skills, whether that is in construction or the many engineering yards but we have a skills shortage across all sectors.

"We need a rethink on how young people are supported and encouraged to achieve to their best abilities and to progress into apprenticeships and good employment."

The Scottish Labour MSP also attended the demonstration held outside the Scottish Parliament which saw EIS-FELA members from across Scotland come together to demand the restoration of funding from the Scottish Government.

He added: “College staff deserve recognition for the hard work they do and that should be reflected in a fair pay settlement that should not come at the expense of their colleagues’ jobs.

“The Scottish Government must resolve to restore funding and invest in colleges in Scotland – it should not be left to college staff to fight for the future of further education.”