Greer criticises Education Secretary for calling on college lecturers to end strike action
Ross Greer MSP, Education spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (16 May) criticised Education Secretary John Swinney for calling on college lecturers to end their strike action, despite management failing to honour a pay deal agreed over a year ago.
Mr Greer has repeatedly called on the Scottish Government to intervene in the ongoing dispute, and today Mr Swinney announced that an independent facilitator has been appointed to help negotiations but that ministers expect lecturers to call off further strikes.
Industrial action began in March last year in protest at variations of up to £10,000 a year in pay at different colleges. Despite an agreement being reached with management, the promised settlement has not been delivered and action resumed in April 2017.
Ross Greer, Education spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for West of Scotland, said:
“By asking college lecturers to call off future strikes when management haven't honoured the pay deal agreed a year ago is outrageous and undermines the lecturers' position. Management cannot be given any breathing space when they have simply failed to deliver what was promised.
"Scottish Ministers have been hands-off with this dispute when they should have been sticking up for hard-pressed college staff. Appointing an independent facilitator does no harm but it’s not clear what good it will do. For the sake of staff and students, we need a firmer response that forces college management to stop dragging their heels and honour the deal."