Fresh start for Scotland’s colleges and trade unions as pay talks reform comes into force

College employers and trade unions are moving on from recurring strikes with a new agreement for negotiating staff pay and conditions – the first change of its kind in over a decade.

Since it was launched in 2015, national collective bargaining has delivered steady pay increases, as well as some notable improvements in working conditions.

However, an independent report by Strathesk Resolutions highlighted a range of shortcomings and challenges that had become barriers to successful talks. It also recommended steps to boost negotiation skills, behaviour standards, and access to high-quality information and evidence, prompting joint improvement action by college employers and trade unions.

This shared work has now resulted in a revised National Recognition and Procedures Agreement (NRPA). The agreement, which took effect on 1 March 2026, will reset national collective bargaining for colleges – supporting positive industrial relations for years to come.

Under the revamp, all parties will commit to upholding the Nine Principles of Public Life in Scotland – widely regarded as the gold standard for conduct in public service. This should make industrial disputes less likely, speed up agreements, and ultimately protect learning continuity.

The revised NRPA also gives employer and union representatives greater independence by removing the old Central Committee and fully separating the committees for lecturing and professional services staff. It is expected that this will enable more focused, flexible and effective discussions.

Crucially, the new agreement explicitly places student success at the forefront, signalling a shared determination by employers and trade unions to deliver high-quality teaching and learning.

Callum Chomczuk, Director of College Employers Scotland, said:

“I’m delighted that colleges and trade unions are taking this important step forward in how they work together.

“For too long, negotiations on staff pay and conditions were hampered by issues within the previous arrangements. However, recent months have seen a positive change in industrial relations, which has helped to secure a three-year pay deal for professional services staff.

“The newly agreed NRPA reforms will build on this shift – providing a simpler, clearer structure for negotiations, embedding Fair Work principles in all that we do, and keeping our focus firmly on delivering learning excellence for students.”

Janet Stewart, UNISON Regional Organiser and Professional Services Staff Secretary, said:

“For Further Education Professional Services Staff unions, the new NRPA provides a clearer route to negotiating the best outcomes for our members.

“While full democratic accountability remains, the simplified negotiation set-up is more grown-up and shows that the sector is now ready to move forward constructively and address the challenges that FE in the public sector faces.”