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Independent advisor appointed to facilitate FE Pay Dispute

8 October 2007

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today announced the appointment of an Independent Advisor to facilitate an agreement in the Further Education Lecturers’ pay dispute.

Sir Joseph Pilling, a former Permanent Under Secretary in the Northern Ireland Office, has agreed to act as the Independent Adviser in the dispute.

Making the announcement of the appointment to the Assembly today, Sir Reg said:  “I am convinced that Sir Joseph Pilling’s appointment is a positive development in this dispute and that his work will be pivotal in helping to remove the impasse in negotiations which currently exists. He is eminently well qualified for this role, having had experience of industrial relations in the Department of Health and in the Prison Service of England and Wales.

“The terms of reference set for Sir Joseph are: To explore the position of each interested party, including, in particular, the employers and unions and, using the insight that this provides, to facilitate a settlement of the dispute which is acceptable to all interested parties.”

The Minister concluded: “With good will on all sides, I hope that it may now be possible to move forward to bring an end to this unfortunate dispute and to restore normal service in colleges, for the benefit of all concerned.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. Sir Joseph Pilling was Permanent Under Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland Office from 1997 to 2005. Earlier in his career he had experience of industrial relations in the Prison Service of England and Wales and in the Department of Health. He is Chairman of the Koestler Trust, which encourages the arts amongst prisoners, a trustee of MacMillan Cancer support and a member of the Council of the University of London. He chaired a committee on senior appointments in the Church of England which reported earlier this year.
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