City of Glasgow College Dispute

Strike action continues this week at City of Glasgow College for EIS-FELA members who are now in their 17th week of action to protect their health.

WHY ARE THE WELDERS ON STRIKE?

• A lecturer welding became unwell and visited their GP in November 2025. It became clear that they were being exposed to welding fumes without adequate safety measures in place. Welding fumes are associated with acute and long-term health damage.  
• After seeking to resolve these issues with the college, and only being met with denial and delay, EIS-FELA were forced to declare a trade dispute with CoCG on 24 November 2025.
• The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspected the welding workshop at CoGC in December 2025 and found the employer to be in material breach of the law. The College made changes and carried out tests which gave test results that are compliant with the law. The EIS is concerned that these tests did not reflect real-life conditions.
• The College refused to provide air-fed masks as RPE to the lecturers.  The College has advised  EIS-FELA that cost is not a factor in the dispute.  The EIS has argued that the College should provide RPE in order to reduce the risk of carcinogenic fumes to “as low as reasonably practicable.”

The strike has been about seeking to put pressure on the College to provide the RPE, update other risk assessments (RA) for workshop activities and to ensure no detriment to the strikers and the EIS reps at the Branch.

THE COLLEGE RESPONSE 

Whilst workers have the legal right to take industrial action, the College has sought to directly and indirectly undermine the dispute and the welders’ concerns.

• College management has led some College staff to believe that the Welders H&S dispute led to BAE Systems cancelling their contract. This is not true – it was cancelled before the dispute, and was being run out.
• College management has led some College staff to believe that the Welders H&S dispute led to the EIS insisting or agreeing that other staff to wear protective overalls even for tasks where this is not necessary. The EIS had no part in this decision by the College.
• The culture created by the College management has led to many staff fearing to associate with the strikers. This has left them feeling isolated and ostracised  in work for taking strike action to protect their health.
• College management has moved desks and is now based in the workshops with the staff, creating a difficult environment where the strikers feel vulnerable.
• Nearly all members involved in the dispute have, at various times, had to invoke their rights under Section 44 (Employment Rights Act) to protect themselves from serious and imminent danger in the workplace.

EIS members on strike receive strike pay but they lose pension service for the days that they are on strike. Furthermore, the College seems to be giving them fewer training opportunities and timetabling opportunities than other staff. The strikers simply want RPE and to return to work to teach. 

ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE

There have been numerous meetings between EIS-FELA branch representatives, area and national officers, and CoGC to resolve the dispute. Lately, there have been meetings between senior management at CoGC and the EIS General Secretary – all to deliver RPE for staff to be safer in work.

The EIS General Secretary has now written to the Chair of the Board of Management, the Minister with responsibility for Further Education and the First Minister (in the last few days) requesting that the Scottish Government apply all possible pressure on City of Glasgow College, with a view to resolving both trade disputes in the interests of students and staff before there is any further disruption to the delivery of education.

The EIS is supporting your welding colleagues taking action to protect their health as it places a marker down so that management also cannot ignore the safety of any other group or individual colleague at the college - the safety of one is the safety of all.

THE WELDERS’ STRIKE IS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE MANAGEMENT CULTURE AT THE COGC

The EIS believes the College has dealt with the welders’ dispute in an aggressive manner with subsequent significant victimisation of trade union representatives. Such action by the College is an example of a wider management culture at the College, and indicative of it failing to deliver the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First policy.

This has led to a further whole College dispute being issued. It is time to address this culture at the College.  

Please give your support to your colleagues and fellow trade union members by signing our petition to support their right to work safely and to feel safe at work. Our strength lies in our collective voice and in ensuring that no member or representative faces these challenges alone.

Sign Our Petition