EIS FELA members passed a Vote of No Confidence in Senior Management and the Board of Management because we believe that City of Glasgow College Management has failed to progress and implement Fair Work in the College and that due to chronic mismanagement and a lack of proper governance, working conditions have been allowed to deteriorate. 

We need your support with the Vote of No Confidence passed by the Branch to call for an urgent investigation into working conditions in City of Glasgow College. 

Working conditions continue to deteriorate as evidenced by the Robertson Cooper Staff Satisfaction Survey, commissioned by the College and completed in March 2024. EIS FELA requested a copy of the survey report several times and tabled it at the last Local Negotiating Committee meeting, but management refused to provide the report, leaving no other option than to submit a Freedom of Information request that was completed on 23 December and the report can now be accessed here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/robertson_cooper_survey_report/response/2870142/attach/3/CoGC%20FOISA%2010%2024%2025%20Robertson%20Cooper%20Survey%20Response.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

The report provides stark evidence that fair work remains a matter of serious concern, with staff reporting negative impacts on health and wellbeing and a lack of effective voice, fulfilment, security and respect at work. These impacts are greater among female staff, staff with caring responsibilities and those with health conditions and disabilities. 

The article highlights the deteriorating working conditions in the college, that not only result from the impact of cuts, but from the toxic leadership culture and ineffective governance which prevents City of Glasgow College from becoming a Fair Work employer.

EIS FELA conducted a Workplace Culture Survey in 2022 and a Workload Survey in 2024, both of which underscore the deteriorating working conditions and the ongoing lack of fair work practices. These reports were shared with college management and the Board of Management in 2022 and in 2024, yet there has been no follow-up discussion or actionable response.

Recently, increasing numbers of female staff have been subjected to bullying, sexism, misogyny, gaslighting and harassment at work. Women’s complaints are not taken seriously, and internal complaints processes are dysfunctional and block rather than progress women’s complaints because City of Glasgow College is institutionally sexist and bullying and misogyny are endemic.

This alarming situation was brought to the attention of the Board Of Management in December 2024 but Principal Paul Little dismissed it as nothing more than a trade union "campaign" which shows no respect for the women who have spoken out about abuse at work but the Board remained silent on the matter. 

It is critical to recognise that conditions and industrial relations at the largest college in Scotland are rapidly deteriorating, and college management and the Board of Management are doing nothing. 

The various governing bodies including the Glasgow Colleges Regional Board, the Scottish Funding Council, and the Minister for Further and Higher Education must acknowledge and address this situation and immediate and decisive action is required before the situation escalates further.