Created on: 25 Aug 2023
Edinburgh College Dispute
Message from the branch
This message is to let you know what is happening at Edinburgh College. The victimisation of our Edinburgh College EIS branch official and safety rep Kevin Scally is a matter of principle and social justice. We’ve taken four days’ strike action so far. And EIS members at the College will carry on striking four days a week indefinitely till we win Kevin’s reinstatement.
To encourage our management to do the right thing, could you send a message of protest to the Principal and Chair of the College Board-(Audrey.Cumberford@edinburghcollege.ac.uk; ) and (Nora.Senior@edinburghcollege.ac.uk; copying in myself the EIS-FELA branch secretary, pennygower1@gmail.com; so our members can see the support you have given us).
So, something along the lines of the following would be great, or anything you want to send…
Dear Ms Cumberford and Ms Senior,
I am writing to express my concern at the treatment of EIS Branch Official and Safety Rep, Kevin Scally. Edinburgh College has already reached your target of £6m savings through voluntary severance. Kevin is an experienced lecturer who can deliver courses the College needs to be covered and he is the only employee to be made redundant. So we can only assume Mr Scally's sacking is due to the fact that he is a trade union representative.
Shockingly, you refuse to meet with the union representatives under the College’s Avoidance of Disputes’ Procedure. You also refused to even hear the EIS branch grievance against this compulsory redundancy. Yet trade union recognition is a fundamental right.
The stress this has caused Kevin and his family can only be imagined. Your behaviour as managers of a public service charged with delivering education to working class adults has been appalling.
I urge that you reinstate Kevin immediately.
Regards
The branch are also organising picket lines, starting at approx. 8am each day. Dates and venues are as follows, and any support at these would be greatly appreciated.
Further info about the dispute at https://www.eis.org.uk/fela/edinburghcollege
