Stow College staff walk out in protest over pay

Staff union leaders have warned of further disruption at a major Glasgow college in the wake of a rally last week as staff protest over pay.

Members of Unison at Stow College were joined by supporters in a lobby that took place outside the institution, part of a second three-day strike by cleaners and canteen staff attempting to overturn a proposed pay freeze by management.

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney last month insisted lower-paid workers have to be protected in the current economic climate with a minimum wage of £7.15. However, according to Stow’s Unison shop steward, Chris Greenshields, some workers working at the further education institution have been left “under that rate.”

Branch secretary of Unison Glasgow, Brian Smith, said the Scottish Government's pay policy would cost the college 0.4 per cent of their payroll and added: “In terms of a starting point, that’s all we’re asking for. It’s about £25,000. That’s what would resolve the dispute.

“What we’re sending is a message that we’re going to step up the action - that we’re going to take further action so that we get what is fair and just.”

Stow management, who according to Unison members had previously avoided negotiations, met with staff and union members a day after the rally to discuss the pay proposals.

The college’s assistant principal, Mike Lofthouse, said: “We met with all our staff and Unison members... and are having continuous meetings with union officials.”

Asked if he was concerned about the strikes, he added: “Yes, to a degree. But you have to understand that the college sector as a whole has lost funding of £800,000 and we need to do what we can to provide quality service to our students.”

Unison officials have also raised concerns over alleged plans to outsource some staff to private companies. The union, along with the Education Institute of Scotland (EIS), put forward a paper to college bosses outlining their fears and suggesting alternative ways to scale back expenditure.

Greenshields said: “If they bring private companies in, why can’t we have our staff maintained within Stow College but still working for a private company? “It doesn’t cost anybody anymore or any less because the private company would take their salary on, or whatever – but they said they weren’t going to consider that.”

A canteen worker on strike, who asked not to be named, told The Journal: “There’s a rumour going about saying we’re happy about this – we’re not happy about this, this is management saying this. We don’t want to be outsourced; we want to be kept here.”

EIS branch secretary for the further education institution, Pam Currie, attended the rally to offer support along with other EIS members wearing purple Unison t-shirts and carrying banners.

Currie told The Journal: “We’re concerned about the cuts that are affecting our members' terms and conditions and also the cuts that are ultimately affecting our students’ education.

“That’s why we’re here supporting the protest. There are also quite a lot of our students here as well.”

Stuart Roney, student president at Stow College, added: “We passed the motion a couple of weeks ago to fully support the actions of Unison...wholeheartedly; the voice of the students is behind Unison.

“There has been huge support from the students. Obviously, when it comes to a picket line, they’ve still got scheduled classes, but when they can they are showing their support in what has been an innovative way of protesting.”