Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC): FOI release

Information requested

1. I would like to ask where the information you receive about SRUC 'dealing with' 'dealt with' legacy issues comes from? Which department?

2. Who or which department/organisation then makes sure fair work principles are being adhered to?

3. If the EIS refuse to negotiate or accept mediation who are they or SRUC accountable to?

Response

1. The answer to your question is that the information comes from the Scottish Funding Council: “Although they merged 10 years ago, SRUC are still dealing with legacy staffing/HR issues, including varying types of contracts, pay scales, holiday allocations, working weeks and pensions.”

2. The answer to your question is employment legislation and labour market enforcement is reserved to the UK Parliament. In the absence of employment powers, we are promoting fair work practices using the levers available, including through our Fair Work First approach, by applying fair work principles to public sector grants, other funding and contracts. Responsibility for the Scottish Government’s Fair Work policy lies within the Fair Work Division in the Directorate for Jobs and Wellbeing Economy. However Ministers have made clear their expectation that Fair Work should be mainstreamed throughout all portfolios and directorates. It
is for individual funders to monitor compliance with Fair Work grant conditions, as they would with any other conditions of grant. Therefore the Scottish Government expects the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), as the national strategic body for funding of further and higher education and research in Scotland, to drive fair work practices through its supply chain, using procurements and grant funding as appropriate; engage with colleges and universities to support the embedding of fair working practices across the sectors; and ask institutions to report on how they are meeting Fair Work First criteria.

3. The answer to your question is that the SRUC is an autonomous institution with responsibility for its own pay and staffing matters, including negotiation and consultation with any of its recognised trade unions. The EIS is ultimately accountable to their membership.

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