Glasgow Clyde College EIS Members Express Real Concerns Over Terms and Conditions Ballot

A number of EIS members have expressed real concern over the ballot regarding the latest Terms and Conditions offer from management.

There appears to be a number of concerns not only regarding the offer but also the fact that the EIS Branch officials are refusing to share a powerpoint presentation used at branch neetings with all EIS members. Members need to know why?

There are also concerns being raised over the short timeframe members had to consider the offer, which is extensive and complex and at meetings officials made comparisions between the previously rejected offer and the new offer.

Why were the current terms and conditions held by members not used as the comparator?

Remission for completing TQFE has been withdrawn with EIS Branch Officials stating....

"There were concerns about TQFE being offered with no remission.  EIS officials agreed with this and explained that in trying to get TQFE remission included in the offer there had been a delay in getting the new offer to members, but they felt they could get no further progress on this issue."

Some members see this as capitulation and detrimental to untrained staff who could be teaching a full timetable while undertaking their TQFE programme for the sake of expediency! Why was this not brought to members for debate with possible action to support remission?

There are major issues for members over the proposal to reduce teaching hours on SQA units to 33 hours - Unit contact teaching time has been eroded over a period from the original nominal 40 to 36 hours !- This further cut has more implications than just staff Terms and Conditions.

"Workload implications were a serious concern in moving from 36 hours per SQA unit to 33 hours.  It was highlighted that the reduction in length of sessions meant a reduction in what temporary staff could earn, and that this was a detriment to them."

While members are rightly concerned about workload there are potential job losses if each programme of 12 units loses 36 hours of teaching!

However there are major implications for students in that they are having their programmes cut by 3 hours per unit with a loss of access to lecturers.

What will be the impact of this be or will management assign the 'FOFO' *¹ methodology for these three hours?

Will the college still be claiming the same funding for a reduced staffing committment to programmes?

EIS members also need to question the FELA Executive as to why there were no specific FE related motions to the EIS AGM - Again! 

The FE sector is being battered by Government cuts while senior managers left with very significant sums of money and some current senior managers are being paid more than ministers in government?

EIS members need to ask the EIS where is the action for FE that seems to be available to the schools sectors?

They need to seek Government intervention ito review the way public monies are being used!

*^{1 FOFO - an older term used with negative referral to 'self supported study' - often exxpressed as "go away and fnd oot"!}