- Conference
- 2024 Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 15 February 2024
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that the real value of pay in Further Education (FE) colleges has fallen dramatically by around 35% in recent years. Workloads have increased dramatically as staff numbers in FE colleges have decreased and like much of the public sector FE staff are having to do more for less.
Conference also notes that UNISON’s strategy for pay in FE is based around the joint trade union pay claim submitted to the Association of Colleges (AoC). The AoC then make a non binding recommendation which individual FE institutions may or may not take any notice of.
UNISON has in recent years conducted consultative ballots at a national level over the pay recommendations made by the AoC and willingness of members to take industrial action to improve these offers. Other than the odd isolated exception this has unfortunately failed to deliver any significant improvement in pay within the FE sector.
Conference believes in the principle of a national joint trade union pay claim however the current process with the AoC is becoming increasingly irrelevant to members in the FE sector. Many FE colleges have long since departed from the 1 August pay anniversary date and have aligned their pay anniversary with the calendar year. The national consultative ballots are often taking place at a time when there is no discussion about pay at workplace and employer level. This combined with no organising and pay campaign on the ground it is no wonder that the results of the ballots and engagement have been disappointing.
Conference recognises that FE colleges generally sit within local government branches. Many branches have struggled to resource the level of organising and campaign activity required to deliver significant improvements in FE pay due to lack of activist time and competing priorities. Conference also recognises the attempts of the North West Region to recruit and organise differently in FE by forming a merged regional committee for FE, HE and Sixth Form.
Conference believes the current approach is not delivering for our members and we need to review if the approach is still fit for purpose. Conference would of course prefer, and reiterates its support for, sector wide collective bargaining in FE.
Conference therefore calls on the Service Group Executive to work with the National Committee for Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges to review UNISON’s strategy for FE pay and to develop a new strategy if the current strategy is found to not be fit for purpose. The Service Group Executive should ensure that input is sought from key stakeholders including branches containing FE colleges, UNISON activists in FE and UNISON members in FE.