- Conference
- 2023 National Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 10 February 2023
- Decision
- Carried
Conference knows that collective bargaining was a hard-won right by workers and that we need to constantly fight to protect this right. Collective bargaining at national level has been a feature of the education sector for many years and it is something to be proud of.
FE colleges in England have not had binding national bargaining since incorporation in 1993. Since the admission by the Westminster government that incorporation isn’t working, made when colleges were returned to the public sector in November 2022, we need to seize this opportunity to lobby strongly for the next logical step – proper national pay bargaining. We have it in 6th form colleges in England and we have it in FE colleges in the devolved nations– it is the only sensible way forward.
National collective bargaining represents a sensible use of resources for unions and employers. Local pay bargaining is resource-intensive and therefore more expensive. By reintroducing national bargaining we won’t have hundreds of unnecessary meetings taking place across the country all asking for the same thing, but with different outcomes. Instead, only one experienced and trained bargaining team will be required.
Fairness and equality will be achieved as national pay scales can be implemented ending the post-code lottery of support staff being paid different amounts to do the same job, all dependent on whether their pay is a priority to their own managers or otherwise.
Importantly, workers will have more influence on the national agenda. For too long employers have been complaining that they cannot give pay rises due to lack of funding. The government won’t listen to individual voices complaining of funding but they will have to take notice of the sector speaking as one.
Since, 2010, pay in colleges has fallen by approximately 35% in real terms. Staff in many colleges have gone year after year with no cost-of-living award at all.
Conference therefore calls upon the local government service group to work with the further education and 6th form colleges committee to:
1) Develop campaign resources to draw awareness to the need for national bargaining in England;
2) Fund research into different salaries paid in colleges in England for similar roles;
3) Jointly lobby with trade union partners for national bargaining in England.