Further Education severance scheme branded 'irresponsible use of public money'

The row over the voluntary severance scheme (VSS) currently being rolled out across the Further Education (FE) sector is rumbling on.

The University and College Union (UCU) has challenged the Economy Minister Conor Murphy’s rationale for allowing the scheme to proceed.

It has also contested the “appropriateness of prioritising the VSS implementation ahead of resolving the outstanding pay dispute” in the sector.

In addition, the union has described a proposed pay rise of 5% as “unlikely to be sufficient to resolve the industrial dispute”.
UCU is one of the unions representing lecturing staff in the six FE colleges across the North - including Derry’s North West Regional College (NWRC).

Bright Spark Anna says NWRC’s Open Day helped her discover new career

Anna McGonigle was inspired to train as a welder after seeing the success of other female welder students at NWRC

In an open letter to Minister Murphy on Tuesday (February 27), Katharine Clarke, who is the UCU Northern Ireland Official, contended the redundancy scheme was at an advanced stage because the Department of Finance (DfE) had “put pressure” on colleges to implement the scheme ahead of a Stormont return.

Ms Clarke said: “I understand the employers were asked to open the scheme before Christmas, but most were not able to do so.

“You will be aware the definition of a redundancy situation under the legislation is when there is diminution or cessation of a particular kind of work. DfE demands for cost cutting do not meet this statutory definition.

“It is unclear whether in the long term the scheme will deliver upon the objective to reduce costs.

“What is not in doubt is the same amount of work will remain when over 300 jobs are lost from the sector. Far fewer will be doing far more,” said Ms Clarke.

She added that trade unions had been in dispute about lecturer pay for four years.

“When we met, you stated the priority was to address pay,” said Ms Clarke. “However, the green light has been given to financing generous, un-tapered severance payments for those who are not engaged in frontline delivery ahead of funding dispute resolution.

“The UCU acknowledges the scheme is oversubscribed and we expected it to be so.

“A significant section of our membership hold expectations they will depart under the scheme. The reality is the vast majority do not satisfy the criteria to be released.

“It can easily be envisaged what the consequences of this scheme will be on morale and motivation when management and non-teaching grades exit the sector with golden handshakes, while lecturer pay remains inadequate. One has to look no further than the selection criteria at SERC (South Eastern Regional College) to forecast what lies ahead.

“It is hard to see how these arrangements assist your stated ambition of protecting front-line delivery, increasing student numbers and improving staff pay,” said Ms Clarke.

The UCU representative added that earlier in pay negotiations, the employers advised the trade unions that £1m equates to the cost of a 1% pay increase for lecturer staff.

She asked Minister Murphy if he could advise how much money the DfE has set aside to finance job losses under VSS.

Her request was framed as a Freedom of Information request.

Ms Clarke continued: “The trade unions anticipate the cost will run into millions given the departmental refusal to adopt tapering arrangements that were deemed lawful under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

“As you might be aware the trade unions are due to meet the employers tomorrow [February 28]. We are told an offer on pay is to be made (albeit an unconstitutional offer at this juncture). If the amount is 5%, consistent with the figure other civil service pay categories have been offered, this is unlikely to be sufficient to resolve the industrial dispute.

“It is certainly not a settlement the negotiators can recommend acceptance of. I would ask again that you consider the appropriateness of prioritising the VSS implementation ahead of resolving the outstanding pay dispute.

“Further, the UCU question in the context of the lack of tapering and the FE workforce demographic, whether the scheme in its current form can be considered a reasonable and responsible use of public money.”