No 3rd Party at Edinburgh's Telford College

TELFORD STRIKE ACTION SUSPENDED AS DRAFT AGREEMENT REACHED

2007-10-12T17:17:00.000+01:00

Following negotiations between the EIS and management at Edinburgh’s Telford College, a draft agreement has been reached which aims to bring an end to the current employment dispute at the college. This will now be subject to a consultative ballot of EIS-FELA members in the college. In the meantime, all industrial action by EIS-FELA members at Telford College has been suspended.

A joint statement has been released on behalf of management and the EIS-FELA branch at Telford College, which reads as follows:

Following a series of meetings, senior managers of Edinburgh’s Telford College and EIS – FELA branch representatives have reached agreement on a series of measures which are designed to bring an end to the current dispute. This agreement will now be put to EIS members in a ballot.

Paramount in the discussions was the need to ensure that any interruption to teaching for students would be concluded and that both sides would work to restore positive working relationships for the future.

Both parties are optimistic that productive working relations can be forged once more, with regular and early consultation and negotiation on a wide range of matters.

In this way any issues regarding the direction for the college would be identified and resolved, with relevant and valued input from all quarters.

College Strike suspended-Joint statement released.

2007-10-11T18:01:00.000+01:00

The EIS-FELA Branch Committee and management at Edinburgh's Telford College have released a joint statement to all staff regarding the current dispute.

This follows todays special meeting of the branch at which it was announced that due to the managements U-Turn on the use of 3rd Party employment agency's to provide temporary lecturers the current strike action has been suspended.

The suspension of strike will allow for further talks to take place clarifying the managements formal proposals followed by a bollot asking members if they wish to end the current action altogether.

Ballot papers will be issued from Oct 22nd with a result expected approximately 3 weeks later.

The Branch Committee would like to thank all colleagues, students and the public who have demonstrated continued and unwavering support for our members during what has been a very difficult time.

Lecturers strike for 5th day

2007-10-10T11:15:00.001+01:00

Members of the Edinburgh's Telford College branch of the EIS-FELA continued their strike action today amidst calls for the Principal to return from his holiday to the college in order to resolve the dispute.

The members were joined on the picket line today by Ken Wimbor Assistant Secretary of the EIS.

"Anger at holiday for strike-hit college chief"

2007-10-10T07:11:00.000+01:00

Genevieve McCabe, the EIS-FELA local convener of the further education branch of the union, said:

"It [Mr Harris's holiday] certainly has not gone down well. The staff feel it is a strange time for the chief executive of a very large educational organisation to be on holiday."

Ms McCabe said progress had been made at the meetings with management, but not enough to resolve the dispute.

Extract from todays Scotsman Article by Fiona MacLeod

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE AND TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS

Strike enters 3rd Week

2007-10-09T15:03:00.001+01:00

Members of the Edinburgh’s Telford College branch of the EIS continued their picket
today despite the adverse weather conditions. Support for the strike remains solid and messages of support continue to pour in from other branches, the local community,
politicians and most significantly students.

Members of the EIS are pleased to acknowledge that after 3 days of negotiations initiated
by the EIS, the Principalship has moved some way on this dispute.

However the basis of this dispute was to ensure EQUALITY of employment for ALL.

The EIS reject INEQUALITY in all its forms.

We are unable to settle this dispute while even a MINORITY are still discriminated against.

The EIS members will happily settle this dispute and return to their classrooms immediately, when the Principalship fulfils its duty to provide a solution that does not involve DISCRIMINATION.

Overwhelming majority backs Branch

2007-10-09T14:47:00.000+01:00

90% of voters who took part in this sites most recent poll have backed this Branches assertion that the Principalship and the Board of Management at Edinburgh's Telford College should end its use of 3rd party employment agency Protocol National to provide temporary teaching staff.

Strike action set to continue

2007-10-08T23:39:00.000+01:00

As a result of discussions initiated by the EIS, we welcome the fact that the Principalship is prepared to restore equal conditions of employment for some lecturers.

It is disappointing that it required industrial action before these meaningful discussions resulted in this partial u-turn.

HOWEVER, the EIS continues to strive for guarantees that ALL staff will be treated equally.

The significant majority of the staff engaged in this action are not directly affected by the changes to conditions. However, we are committed to supporting and protecting ALL, not just some, of our more vulnerable colleagues.

EIS BRANCH COMMITTEE

No redundancy policy at Edinburgh’s Telford College to end.

2007-10-06T20:48:00.000+01:00

Since the start of the current dispute between the EIS and the Principalship at Edinburgh’s Telford College the literature released to students, the press and the public has contained the following statement.

“The use of agency lecturers does not threaten the jobs of existing permanent staff; in fact quite the opposite. The College has a ‘no redundancy’ policy which protects the jobs of staff.”

Although the Branch Committee acknowledges that this is a statement of fact we would like to point out that this policy will end in 2008 which less than 3 months from now.

EIS in talks with management over action at Edinburgh's Telford College

2007-10-05T18:19:00.000+01:00

The Branch Committee can confirm that discussions regarding the current industrial dispute at Edinburgh's Telford College took place today between a delegation of the EIS and the college management.

The discussions, initiated by the EIS Branch Committee yesterday, took place between members of the Branch Committee along with the EIS Area Officer and a three person delegation from the management led by Assistant Principal Greg Irving. Discussions will continue at 10am on monday with the Branch Committee due to report to members at a meeting at lunchtime on monday.

Guidance on leaving comments:

2007-10-04T23:41:00.001+01:00

The Branch Committee would like to thank all of you who have contributed to this blog with your comments and messages of support, they are greatly appreciated. In the main we have been able to allow the vast majority of comments and messages through our moderation system, however, a small number of comments have been rejected.

In order to prevent your comment or message being rejected please consider the following:

avoid using rude or abusive language.
avoid direct comparisons between named individuals and historical figures (no matter how amusing).
avoid juvenile digs.
avoid any statements which could be misconstrued as threatening or bullying.
read your message through before sending it.

Some excellent points have been lost because other parts of the content have been inappropriate.

If you have made a comment and it has not been published and you would like to know why or you would like further guidance on making comments please contact us at:

telford.eis.branch.committee@gmail.com

Note: we will publish all counter points of view as long as they adhere to the suggested guidelines.

Note: the opinions contained within the comments posted on this site reflect those of the individual author and are not necessarily shared by the Branch Committee.

EIS Delegation Meets with Management

2007-10-04T22:36:00.001+01:00

The Branch Committee can confirm that today- Thursday 4th October- at 4pm a delegation of the EIS met with a member of the Principalship and ageed to meet on friday 5th of october to discuss the current situation at Edinburgh's Telford College.

The EIS and The Branch Committee remain committed to their opposition to the use of an employment agency at Edinburgh's Telford College.

There are no plans to suspend the strike action for next week.

Creating A Two Tier Workforce:

2007-10-04T20:32:00.000+01:00

Edinburgh's Telford College Principalships agreement with protocol National has negative consequences for all temporary staff previously employed directly by the College. They have been forced to register with the agency in order to continue to have any employment with the college. This means:

• Accepting a cut in take home pay
• Exclusion from the pension scheme

The college has created a two tier workforce but now claims that “ Protocol National is simply an alternative way to manage the existing situation”

THIS STATEMENT IS ENTIRELY MISLEADING:

• Permanent employees at the College receive superannuation contributions from the College, Temporary Lecturers sourced through Protocol National have to make their own pension arrangements.

• Permanent employees at the College are covered by the College’s professional indemnity insurance scheme. Temporary lecturers sourced through Protocol National have to take out their own personal indemnity insurance.

• Permanent employees at the college have their disclosure checks paid for by the College. Temporary lecturers sourced through Protocol National have to pay for their own disclosure checks.

• Permanent employees at the College have access to the full range of CPD, training and development opportunities. Temporary Lecturers sourced through \protocol National do not.

• Permanent employees at the College have full negotiating rights covering pay and conditions. Temporary Lecturers sourced through Protocol national do not.

THAT IS A TWO TIER WORKFORCE.

It will also damage the quality of learning experience available to the students at the College. College management must explain how demoralising the lecturing staff and diminishing their terms and conditions will lead to “an improved student experience”.

Management at the College has embarked on a course of action designed to destroy the employment relationship with their temporary staff and to take temporary employees outwith the scope of existing employment rights and pension provision.

The EIS is committed to supporting this campaign of industrial action to ensure fair and equal treatment for all lecturing staff.

Mark Lazarowicz MP Visits Telord Picket Line

2007-10-04T18:15:00.001+01:00

Members of the Edinburgh's Telford College branch of the EIS were shown further solidarity yesterday when they welcomed Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz as he visited them on the picket line. This demonstration of solidarity along with that of Malcom Chisholm MSP and EIS Area Officer David McGinty, who also visited the picket yesterday, provided a further boost to the EIS action.

The EIS are in dispute with the college Principalship over their decision, without consultation or negotiation, to engage 3rd Party employment agency Protocol National to provide all temporary teaching staff.

If you would like to contact Mark Lazarowicz to voice your concerns over this issue you can do so using the following information:

Mail:
86-88 Brunswick Street
Edinburgh
EH7 5HU

Email:
lazarowiczm@parliament.uk

Blog:

http://www.edinburghnorthandleith.org.uk/blog/

Weekly Surgeries:

Every Friday (no appointment necessary)
4.00pm Stockbridge Library, Hamilton Place
5.30pm Constituency Office 86-88 Brunswick Street

MSP visits Telford College Picket Line

2007-10-03T20:43:00.000+01:00

Malcolm Chisholm MSP visited the picket at Edinburgh's Telford College today to show his solidarity with members of the college branch of the EIS. Mr Chisholm who is a former english teacher and current member of the EIS and Unison was warmly greeted by both teaching staff and students as he discussed the various issues surrounding the dispute with the college Principalship.

The member for Edinburgh North and Leith is the former Scottish Labour Minister for Communites and member of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Mr Chisholm has been innundated with letters and emails concerning the dispute is is very concerned by the Principalshops stand on this issue.

If you have not already contacted Mr Chisholm you can do so via the following methods:

Mail:
Malcolm Chisholm MSP
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

e-mail:
Malcolm.Chisholm.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Open Surgeries every saturday:
9am: Leith Library
10.30am: Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre
12pm: Stockbridge Library

Please contact

2007-10-03T12:42:00.001+01:00

Could the Anon, Student who posted a lengthy comment at 10:56am today please contact the blog administrator at the following email address ASAP:

telford.eis.branch.committee@gmail.com

The comment began " We are now on to our second week of the Tutor Strike here in Telford College....."

We will not reveal your email address to anyone and you can contact us in complete confidence

The same goes for anyone else who wishes to contact us!

95% of Voters in favour of strike action at Edinburgh's Telford College

2007-10-03T00:01:00.002+01:00

In the first Poll conducted by this site 95% of those who voted were in favour of the strike action taken by members of the EIS-FELA Branch at Edinburgh's Telford College.

The Branch Committee would like to thank all those who took part in the poll and would like to encourage participation in our next poll which will appear later today.

Lecturers continue action against inequality

2007-10-02T20:35:00.002+01:00

The Branch committee were delighted with yet another fantastic turnout of members demonstrating their support for the EIS action against Edinburgh's Telford College Principalships introduction of a 2 tier employment system through their engagement of Nottingham based 3rd Party Employment agency Protocol National.

The members of the Telford Branch remain committed to this action as they are resolute in their conviction that the introduction of a 3rd Party Employment agency who's chief concern is profit cannot and will not provide the high quality education our learners deserve and expect.

The Principalship must explain how demoralising teaching staff and diminishing their terms and conditions will lead to an "improved student experience".

The principalship has embarked on a course of action designed to destroy the employment relationship with their temporary staff and to take their temporary employees outwith the scope of existing employment rights and pension provision.

EIS Release further Statement on "Two Tier Workforce"

2007-10-02T17:59:00.000+01:00

The Educational Institute of Scotland, the country's largest teaching union released a further statement today attacking Edinburgh's Telford College Principalships decisions to...... "force temporary lecturers to become self-employed contractors working through an English-based recruitment agency." EIS President Kirsty Devaney. goes on to say:

“The introduction of Protocol National, an English-based agency with limited knowledge of the labour market in the Edinburgh communities served by Telford College, has failed to solve any recruitment problems at the college. It is a serious indictment of the management at the college that they feel that they have to hand over some of their own management duties, and thousands of pounds of public money, to a profit making private company based hundreds of miles away. Further education is all about engaging with and serving the local community, and questions must be asked if the management are unable to source and manage qualified local people to fill temporary lecturing posts. The management at the College have also refused to divulge precisely how much money they are paying Protocol National for their services – this is public money which is being lost from the Scottish Further Education system and which could be much better spent providing an improved educational experience for the Edinburgh community.

THE FULL PRESS RELEASE CAN BE VIEWED BY CLICKING HERE

Branch Committee receives messages of support

2007-10-02T13:02:00.000+01:00

The Branch Committee at Edinburgh's Telford College have received several massages of support from our colleagues at Colleges of Further and Higher Education throughout Scotland including this message from Motherwell College:

"We were shocked to hear of Telford College’s outrageous attack on its lecturing staff. Such a serious threat to all should be fiercely resisted to protect pay, conditions and pensions. It must be sickening for you all to see the contempt shown by your management. I hope you will have the full support of FELA and the EIS main body in a concerted effort to make life very difficult for your disgraceful management and to attract wide publicity to show the public how low a publicly funded educational institution can sink. All our members at Motherwell College send best wishes for your campaign to stop the spread of this disease."

Douglas Nicol Branch Convener Motherwell College

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FURTHER MESSAGES OF SUPPORT

"Students back lecturers in college row"

2007-10-02T00:28:00.000+01:00

"HUNDREDS of students have come out in support of striking lecturers and called on management at Telford College to back down in the dispute.

At least two petitions, one with about 500 signatures, have been set up in favour of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) action."
Extract from Gareth Rose Article, Edinburgh Evening News 1st October 2007

Naturally the Branch Committee are delighted to know that there is such significant support from the student body for the members taking action. We can assure the students that the Branch Committee and the EIS Regional and National Associations have done and are doing everything they posibly can to resolve the current situation in order to secure and maintain a sound education system for all of Scotland learners.

PLEASE VISIT THE EVENING NEWS WEBSITE AND LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS.

Branch blog available to all

2007-10-01T19:34:00.000+01:00

The Branch is pleased to say that this blog is viewable both internally within the college and externally from outwith the college.

It has been established that the mysterious "glitch" in the system which prevented internal viewing for most of Friday and Saturday has now been rectified.

Blog on dear readers!!!!

Have Telford College Authorities Blocked Blog?

2007-09-30T22:52:00.000+01:00

The Branch committee are disturbed to have received reports that this blog has been internally blocked by the powers at be in Edinburgh's Telford College.

It has been alleged that all attempts to visit the site from within the college have been blocked. Individuals who have tried to view the site on friday and saturday have reported that an error message has been displayed.

The Branch Committee would like to substantiate these allegation before passing any comment.

Numbers rise in strike action at Telford

2007-09-29T19:43:00.000+01:00

The Branch Committee are delighted to announce that applications for membership of the EIS have risen dramatically over the last 2 months. Dozens of applications have been received by EIS headquarters by members of lecturing staff willing to make a significant financial sacrifice by withdrawing their labour in protest of the non-negotiated imposition of Protocol National.

This level of solidarity among colleagues should send a strong message to the Principalship that members of the EIS at Edinburgh’s Telford College will not accept inequality of any kind.

"Top marks for city college at centre of staff dispute"

2007-09-28T19:56:00.000+01:00

The article about Telford in today's edition of the Edinburgh Evening News clearly states that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe)

"found the educational leadership, direction and management of the college to be very good."

It might be interesting to know what the Inspectorate think now. Surely industrial action by the largest teaching union in scotland is not a very good signifier of "very good" leadership.

Perhaps the Principalship should have paid closer attention to one of the significant criticisms made in the report:

"The college should ensure that all staff are fully aware of college planning arrangements
and are able to contribute appropriately to planning and decision making processes."

Yet at no point were any staff consulted over the introduction of Protocol National.

The full article is available by clicking HERE

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THE EVENING NEWS SITE AS WELL AS HERE

Lecturers take action

2007-09-27T21:25:00.001+01:00

Day one of the EIS-FELA strike action at Edinburgh's Telford College got off to a great start as members gathered on the picket line from 7am onwards.

Undeterred by the bitter weather the official pickets, including EIS President Kirsty Devaney, took their positions at the 3 main entrances to the college in a visible protest against the college Principalships decision to create a 2-tier employment structure through the enforced use of the profit making Nottingham based, 3rd party employment agency Protocol National.

It soon became very clear that there is substantial support for the members of the Branch Committee and the EIS members engaged in the dispute as several non EIS colleagues, unable to join their colleagues due to the threat of disciplinary action, demonstrated their support through words of encouragement and the constant sounding of car of horns.

It was also notable that only a fraction of the EIS membership within the college crossed the picket line.

Most encouraging however was the support shown directly by the students themselves many of who have signed student generated petitions, are writing letters and have even started leaving comments (see below) on this blog supporting the removal of Protocol National.

“The tutors at Telford are absolutely fantastic. Anyone who wants to mess up a system that already works should open their eyes. To introduce a company only interested in profit rather than education of its students is insane. Morale will fall and with it, the college reputation. This should not be allowed to happen, get Protocol out.”

The Branch Committee would like to thank all those who demonstrated solidarity with our members over the course of the day particularly those who provided much needed hot drinks and local businesses like Sandy’s who kept us going with complimentary hot rolls.

College lecturers to take strike action

2007-09-27T16:17:00.000+01:00

Please click HERE to view the article in yesterdays Herald and leave your comments.

"....the problem of inequality"

2007-09-26T23:22:00.000+01:00

"I have advocated policies that are right in the centre of the debate in the Labour Party, ........to tackle the problem of inequality. There are too many people on temporary work, agency work, working for a sub-contractor, who don't actually have the rights for which we've legislated enforced, and they're not getting the protection that they need."

The above quote was made by Peter Hain the then Labour Party deputy leadership candidate and Northern Ireland Secretary on The Politics Show, BBC One Sunday 03 June 2007, 34 Days after the Principalship at Edinburgh's Telford College announced their deal with 3rd party employment agency Protocol National.

EIS Release Statement on Telford Strike Action

2007-09-26T22:42:00.000+01:00

On Tuesday the 25th September Educational Institute of Scotland released an official statement regarding the impending strike action at Edinburgh's Telford College.

In the statement EIS President Kirsty Devaney states:

“This dispute is about maintaining decent employment conditions for all staff and a high standard of educational provision for the students at Edinburgh's Telford College. The management have yet to explain how demoralising the lecturing staff and diminishing their terms and conditions will lead to ‘an improved student experience'. Handing over thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to a profit-making private agency, while simultaneously eroding the conditions of lecturing staff, is simply wrong and must be challenged. By destroying the employment relationship with their temporary staff, the College will succeed only in demoralising their workforce. That will clearly have a devastating impact on the College and the quality of education available to the students.”

Ms Devaney will be joining lecturers on picket duty at Edinburgh's Telford College on Thursday 27th from 8am.

The full press release can be viewed at: http://www.eis.org.uk/public.asp?id=309&dbase=3

Backround

2007-09-25T23:10:00.000+01:00

Edinburgh’s Telford College Principalship announced on 1st May 2007 that it had entered into a service level agreement with the Nottingham based 3rd party provider Protocol National [PN] to supply temporary lecturers, instructors and learning assistants from 1st August 2007.

This was a done deal without any prior discussion with the EIS-FELA Branch Committee.

The Principalship began negotiations with Protocol National in October 2006 at the same time that EIS-FELA were representing temporary lecturers who had completed 4 years continuous service and hoped to get some permanent hours as a result of changes made to employment legislation in 2002.