Return to national bargaining in Scottish further education

Legislation is helping to bring a return to national bargaining over pay and conditions for staff in Scotland’s further education (FE) sector. However, the move is currently proceeding on a voluntary basis, a government spokesperson told Workplace Report.

The Scottish government’s promise of a national bargaining structure was made good in the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013, which received Royal Assent on 7 August. It called on ministers to establish a national pay and conditions advisory committee for Scotland’s colleges and to make recommendations, taking account of any guidance issued by the Acas employment relations service.

However, a national bargaining development group, whose membership includes the college unions, was established in April with the aim of achieving a voluntary agreement on the establishment of a national framework. The group is said to be “making progress through constructive negotiation” and will shortly submit proposals to the government.

The purpose of any committee established under the Act would be to make recommendations “if ministers were minded to make regulations on national pay bargaining”, the spokesperson said. Nevertheless, the Scottish government “strongly supports the development of a voluntary settlement and the provision to create a national pay and advisory committee would only be considered in the event that an appropriate solution can’t be reached,” the spokesperson added.

The FE sector has suffered with pay differentials for lecturing staff of over £5,000 and even more variations in conditions of service, such as hours and leave.