Day 3

Another day out on the picket lines today. Once again there was a good spirit to everyone and lots of support from everyone else. We even had the principal bring us out coffees. While I'd far have preferred her to bring us a harmonisation deal which didn't mean a detriment to terms (although I wasn't brave enough to tell her that) it was a nice gesture as it was freezing at that point and hopefully bodes well for the next round of talks on Monday.

After the pickets we headed up to Haymarket where a hundred or so of us lobbied the Scottish Funding Council. They had initially said the couldn't meet us as they don't get involved in industrial disputes they ended up relenting and coming down to accept our letter and talk to the delegation of branch officials.

Hopefully everything will be resolved next week at meetings but, if not, then the next target for lobbying will most likely be Bute House since our regional chair and head of the board was a political appointment. In fact the whole idea of regionalisation was instigated after the last Telford College strike where the minister for Education and lifelong learning conceded that under the old system the government had no power to exert pressure on college management or boards. At this time regionalisation was billed as a solution to that.

Anyway, another very positive day today. Hopefully next week will see negotiations which can end or at least suspend the strike, however it was great to see and hear so many steeled for teh long haul if that's what it takes to safeguard terms and jobs.