Forth Valley College and EIS members hold talks over plan to cut lecturer jobs

FVC met with EIS FELA members yesterday (Wednesday) after the union vowed to take action short of striking across its Falkirk, Alloa and Stirling campuses in response to a move to replace 30 positions with support staff.

Members view the proposal to introduce the new ‘instructor assessor’ roles as a cost-cutting exercise.

However, the college has insisted its plan would instead enhance both learning and teaching.

Following the meeting, Dr Ken Thomson, FVC principal, said: “We are pleased to have had constructive dialogue with union representatives as we try to find a resolution to the current dispute.

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“We have put forward a number of points for consideration, which EIS FELA will now take back to their members before a further meeting which is planned for Wednesday, November 9.

“In the best interests of our students, we sincerely hope the response is positive. Any action short of strike action will have a serious impact on our students, who are already facing challenges due to the ongoing pandemic.

“We can’t stress enough how important it is that we work together to ensure that we can support our students and help them to achieve their qualifications.

“We need to move forward and accept this role is now a critical part of our core delivery. The role will greatly enhance the learner experience at the college and align delivery to the needs of their future employers.”

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