One of Scotland’s largest trade unions has removed all branch officers from its Further Education group, The Herald can exclusively reveal.
The UNISON Scotland FE Branch has been “placed under Regional Supervision with immediate effect” following a review by “senior officers of the union and the appropriate committee of the National Executive Council.”
A spokesperson told The Herald that the action has been taken to "get things back on track."
The decision was communicated to members in an email from Lilian Macer, the UNISON Scottish Secretary, earlier today.
UNISON represents thousands of workers in Scotland’s colleges including admin staff, librarians, student support workers, technicians and cleaners. It recently accepted a pay offer that ended nearly two years of industrial action.
Members have now been advised that the FE branch is “currently being run exclusively by regional staff”, meaning that existing branch officers “are no longer in post.”
A team of four staff, led by a UNISON Regional Organiser, have taken over, with a remit to “ensure that all members receive appropriate support from their union” and “work with branch activists to restore the branch to full functionality as soon as possible.”
The email notes that “members and branch representatives may be concerned by this news” but does not provide any information on the reasons for the decision. The Herald understands that concerns about the management and operations of the unions FE branch are long-standing.
UNISON plans to hold a meeting of FE branch activists, as well as a series of local member meetings, to discuss the situation, and advises those seeking further information to contact them.
The communication concludes by encouraging “more people come forward to take on the role of local representative,” and asks that recipients "think about how [they] might be able to help the branch move forward."
A UNISON spokesperson said: “UNISON is committed to ensuring all its members receive a good service and the representation they need. From time to time, it’s necessary for the union to step in and help branches get things back on track.”
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