Inverlcyde Council demands end to WCS lecturer strikes

Following unanimous support at a full council meeting for a motion by Councillor Francesca Brennan, the chief executive Louise Long will now write to education secretary Jenny Gilruth calling for action to end the industrial action.

The move comes after lecturers in both the Finnart Street and the Waterfront campuses walked out again last week over the ongoing pay dispute.

During the debate there were also warnings that the college was akin to the 'Mary Celeste' because of funding cuts leading to courses being axed and students forced to go outwith Inverclyde to continue their education.

Martin McCluskey and Francesca Brennan with striking lecturers (Image: George Munro)

The Scottish Government was also accused of failing to prioritise further education.

At the meeting Labour councillor Martin McCluskey, who visited the striking lecturers along with his colleague Francesca Brennan, seconded the motion.

He said: "Our college provide a crucial role in education system and economy.

"When we visited the picket line to express our support we heard stories about how important the sector is in providing opportunities for those returning to education later in life or undertaking vocation training.

"Too often students have to travel outwith the area for courses that used to be provided locally.

"The college sector has sadly been de-prioritised by the government and we haven't seen adequate or sustainable funding for them.

"The lecturers talked about how busy the college used to be but now, in their own words, it's like the Mary Celeste.

"Funding pressures have meant jobs are lost and, as consequence, courses axed. We heard about people such as carers, or those with disabilities, who might struggle to travel or lose access to education completely."

Councillor McCluskey went on to say that the government should intervene in the same way that it has for the NHS and engage with the unions.

On tabling her motion, Councillor Brennan highlighted the disruption for students and their learning as she called for an urgent intervention.

Councillor Brennan added: "This dispute has been going on for far too long. I think we need to ask the question, do we value further education here in Scotland?"

SNP group leader Councillor Elizabeth Robertson wholeheartedly backed the motion, as a former college board member, and said she is a huge supporter of further education.

Councillor Robertson said: "I have seen first hand how further education transforms lives.

"We need to absolutely treasure this and hold it tight, because if we have an imbalance of funding towards universities then we do ourselves and society a disservice.

"This is something we have to reflect on across the country."

Council leader Stephen McCabe spoke both as councillor and on a personal level.

He said: "My son has been at West College Scotland at Greenock last year and Paisley this year and his learning has been significantly disrupted.

"I have to say it is not good for him to have this level of disruption. It is too late for my son; he has finished college but for others this will continue and this dispute has been going on for far too long.

"Scottish ministers can't sit back and wash their hands of this any longer."

On the picket line at the strike last week, branch secretary of the EIS-Fela union, Mark Gillan, said: "We don't want to be on strike but we have no choice.

"An attack on further education is an attack on working class people."