Union suspend strike action at Falkirk's Forth Valley College

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has suspended its programme of strike action at Forth Valley College (FVC) in what the union called an “act of good faith”.
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Lecturers at Forth Valley College had been taking strike action in protest at the downgrading of a number of lecturing posts to lower-graded, and lesser paid, positions.

However, FVC) has now agreed to a proposal made by the EIS Further Education Lecturers’ Association branch last week, to refer the ongoing instructor/assessor dispute to the National Joint Negotiating Committee joint secretaries for review in the context of the national agreement and in recognition of a failure to agree locally.

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As a consequence, EIS-FELA branch officials have intimated to management, as an act of good faith, the EIS will suspend further planned strike action to allow the referral process to take its course.

The EIS has suspended strike action at Forth Valley CollegeThe EIS has suspended strike action at Forth Valley College
The EIS has suspended strike action at Forth Valley College

Larry Flanagan, EIS general secretary, said: “The college's decision to reconsider and to accept referral to the NJNC Joint Secretaries means that judgement on this matter will be external to the college and measured against the national NJNC Agreement.

“The EIS has now suspended all planned strike action, as an act of good faith, to allow the review process to run its course. While the notified strike dates across the

rest of this academic session are suspended, the statutory mandate for strike action remains in effect, and the branch reserves its right to reinstate strike action if deemed necessary at a future point.”

FVC stated the new instructor assessors role supports it vision for 2030 to ensure it has a sustainable college for the future.