A COLLEGE is refusing to rescind the sacking of a lecturer after colleagues carried out a second day of strike action amid claims the disciplinary process is flawed.
Educational Institute of Scotland members at Edinburgh College took industrial action to push for the reinstatement of a colleague who it is understood was sacked following anonymous allegations.
The education union claims the disciplinary process was flawed as it relied on the anonymous complaints by whistleblowers.
The college said the staff member was dismissed for gross misconduct which included misleading colleagues into believing that he was or had been a doctor.
Larry Flanagan, EIS general secretary said: "Our members do not take strike action lightly but we have been left with no other option after many months of fruitless discussions with college management over this dismissal.
"It is important that work places are safe and that employment processes are followed and any issues are dealt with in a fair and consistent manner.
"That is why staff requested an industrial action ballot from the EIS which resulted in a 76 per cent vote in favour of industrial action.”
Penny Gower, Edinburgh College EIS branch secretary, said: "This is the second day of action and lecturers will be on picket lines across all Edinburgh College campuses standing shoulder to shoulder with our dismissed colleague.
"We are prepared to meet with management at any time to resolve this issue and return this lecturer to the classroom where he belongs.”
A spokeswoman for Edinburgh College said: "Inevitably, some classes have been affected but our facilities have stayed open and are available to students, including libraries, IT services and food courts.
“We’re disappointed the union is continuing strike action that is putting students’ learning at risk.
"The decision the college made on the case at the centre of this was the correct one.
"We stand by it and this will not change.
"We’re still not clear why they did not pursue an independent employment tribunal, which would be the normal route if the union believe they have a solid case.
“We’re more than happy to discuss how to resolve this with the union and we have suggested using the ACAS conciliation service.
"Unfortunately the EIS was not able to agree to that suggestion.”
The college said figures it was supplied by the union showed 47.5 per cent of members voted in the ballot and, of those, 76 per cent voted in favour.
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