Support Our Struggle for the Safety of Welding Lecturers and Students at City of Glasgow College

Background


College lecturers in the Welding and Fabrication Department and the EIS FELA Branch, at the City of Glasgow College complained about inadequate safety equipment and ways working at the City of Glasgow College back in November 2025. The College failed to take the concerns seriously and the matter was referred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which found against the College.

Some changes were made by the College to address HSE concerns, but the College has refused the lecturers' request to provide air-fed masks (RPE) to reduce the risk from harmful welding fumes (that contain carcinogens-toxic, cancer-causing particles) to as low as reasonably practicable.

The lecturers are fearful for their long-term health and for the health and safety of their students.

The EIS supports its members to work safely and to feel safe at their work.

The EIS entered into a dispute with the College to get the RPE.The EIS met with management to try to resolve the dispute but to no avail. As a last resort, the lecturers in the Welding Department have taken strike action in order to put pressure on the College as their employer to do the right and common - sense thing and provide them with RPE. The College is still refusing to provide the RPE after more than 17 weeks of strike action.

Today, the fight continues for that RPE, which is why the EIS has launched this petition.

We are asking you to support the welding lecturers at the City of Glasgow College in their struggle for RPE and to be safe in their work by signing this petition.






  


Why is this important?


Workers should not have to strike in 2026 to be safe at work and to feel safe at work.

City of Glasgow College is a large employer, and many students are educated there.

Toxic welding fumes are dangerous. The College has stated that it can afford the modest cost of RPE.

Some of the apprentices who come to train at the College workshops bring and use RPE from their employers.

Other colleges provide RPE to lecturers and students who are welding.

It is unfair on the lecturing staff and students in the Welding and Fabrication Department that they are being denied the reasonable safety protections in the form of RPE that other lecturers and students have for doing the same or similar work with similar safety risks.

When we win this dispute, other employers will think twice before refusing requested safety equipment.

The Scottish Government funding for each college is supposed to be conditional that it delivers "Fair Work". The EIS does not believe that the City of Glasgow College delivers "Fair Work" to its staff. This Health & Safety dispute is further evidence that Fair Work is not being experienced by all staff at the City of Glasgow College.

How the petition will be delivered


We will share the petition with the City of Glasgow College and the Scottish Government.

Thank you for reading. Now, please support by adding your signature to help improve safety for staff and students alike!

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