NWRC governance attacked

He addressed his comments to the NWRC chief during a briefing from Colleges Northern Ireland on current issues in Further Education before the Stormont Employment and Learning (DEL) committee.

The SDLP Employment and Learning spokesman had earlier called for an urgent independent investigation into the cause of what he described as an increasingly bitter industrial relations dispute between lecturers and management at NWRC.

He had claimed direct intervention was needed due to the seriousness of the allegations made by staff members in relation to their working arrangements and that he would be making a formal request to the College’s Governing Body asking them to halt planned compulsory redundancies, forced redeployments and on going disciplinary action against individual lecturers.

In his capacity as chairperson of Colleges NI Mr Faulkner expressed disappointment to the committee over the SDLP representative’s comments.

“I was disappointed by what was said in the Assembly by the representative, but I will take it up at local level with that Member and we will discuss it. I remind the panel that there are five unions, and we have a problem with only one.

“I say ‘we,’ and it may be my perception, but I want it on the record that I was extremely disappointed at the Member’s comments in the Assembly on Monday (June 27),” Mr Faulkner told the committee.

But Mr Ramsey refused to back down, saying: “I speak only because the matter has been introduced; it was not my intention to broach the subject. For the record, we have the chair of the board of governors of North West Regional College saying that he has a problem with one of the unions. That is on the record.

“He can be disappointed all he wants. If the governance going on in North West Regional College is bullying, intimidating and instilling fear into lecturers, there is something drastically wrong.

“It is not just me saying it but every elected parliamentarian in Foyle, namely the six MLAs and the MP. Members of the Committee are now saying, through a motion carried this morning, that we will write to the Minister asking for that to be investigated immediately by an independent panel. I say that because that chair said he has a problem with one union.”

Mr Faulkner said he had already met the Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry and that as well as the NWRC’s internal auditor it would be possible to have external auditors come in if necesssary.

“We are open to any suggestions whatsoever. I am absolutely convinced. However, I want to keep it at sector level here,” said Mr Faulkner.

The exchange followed Mr Ramsey’s earlier criticism of the NWRC.

“Transparency and openness are essential in managing in any industrial dispute and given ongoing conflict at the College, it is my view that only an independent investigation or mediation process will be capable of resolving this highly-damaging and dangerous situation,” he had said.

“The SDLP has long argued that the college is a vital resource for the entire north-west - not only in terms of up-skilling its students but also with its impressive community outreach programme.

“It is in the wider interest of the region that services at the college are protected and developed so we can build our local economy,” he had argued.