Forth Valley College staff to strike in April & May

A total of 14 days of action are planned by staff

Forth Valley College staff are engaging in industrial action due to national pay disputes, starting next week.

Wednesday 20th April has been confirmed as the first of 14 strike days scheduled from now until the end of May.

All classes and school partnership programmes are cancelled next Wednesday unless students are contacted directly with alternative arrangements.

Exam programmes and commercial training courses will take place as planned, and recruitment interviews will either go ahead or be rescheduled.

Professor Ken Thomson OBE, Principal of Forth Valley College, said:

“For 2021/22, EIS-FELA have rejected a £850 pay offer, consolidated on all pay points and a one-off £200 non-consolidated payment."

“The college sector is already facing significant challenges in the months to come due to funding cuts and the implications these may have. Along with others, we are also focusing on recovery following the pandemic and the affect this has had on the sector. Our students have already had to overcome so much over the past two years. The proposed action including strike days, working to rule and a resulting boycott, could potentially have a serious detrimental effect for these students in progressing their qualifications and their future opportunities."

“The end of the academic year is crucial to ensuring students achieve their qualifications and our focus just now should be on supporting them not putting their future plans at any further risk."

“Early planning is therefore essential in order to support our students and minimise the impact wherever possible."

Planned strike action dates:

• Wednesday 20 April 2022 
• Tuesday 26 April 2022
• Wednesday 27 April 2022
• Wednesday 4 May 2022
• Thursday 5 May 2022
• Tuesday 10 May 2022
• Wednesday 11 May 2022
• Thursday 12 May 2022
• Tuesday 17 May 2022
• Wednesday 18 May 2022
• Thursday 19 May 2022
• Tuesday 24 May 2022
• Wednesday 25 May 2022
• Thursday 26 May 2022