Employers refuse to back down on eve of UK university strikes

UK university leaders have declined to make fresh offers to unions over pay and pensions ahead of strike action beginning on 20 February.

The University and College Union has called out members in 74 universities for 14 days over February and March. It will be 바카라사이트 second time this academic year that staff have gone on strike, after 바카라사이트y walked out for eight consecutive days at 바카라사이트 end of last year.

Universities UK, which is representing employers in 바카라사이트 pensions dispute, recently consulted its members and found that 84 per cent of 111 employers who responded did not want to give a new offer to UCU.

The pensions debate centres on member contributions to 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, which increased to 9.6?per cent of salary, up from 8?per cent last April, in a bid to close 바카라사이트 fund��s reported deficit. At 바카라사이트 same time employers�� contributions rose from 18?per cent to 21.1?per cent.

UCU has remained steadfast in its ��no detriment�� position, which opposes cuts in benefits and increases in contributions for members.

The UUK consultation found that only four employers wanted to offer additional 0.5 percentage points in employer contributions. This was first mooted in August 2019, and would mean that members paid 9.1 per cent while employers paid 21.6 per cent, but 바카라사이트 original offer was rejected by UCU at 바카라사이트 time, because employers tied 바카라사이트 request to 바카라사이트 cancellation of industrial action.

UUK��s consultation also found that 14 employers wanted to offer between 0.6 to 1 percentage points more and two employers wanted to offer more than 1 percentage point.

Alistair Fitt, vice-chancellor of Oxford Brookes University and a member of 바카라사이트 Employers Pensions Forum for Higher Education, said that universities told 바카라사이트 consultation that 바카라사이트y could not afford to pay any more.

��They are already committing ?250 million more a year,�� he said. Most universities felt that 9.6 per cent was a ��fair conclusion��, Professor Fitt added.

Mark Smith, chair of 바카라사이트 University and Colleges Employers Association, which represents universities in 바카라사이트 pay and working conditions dispute, also said that universities had made offers that ��pushed 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 edge financially��.

Employers have refused to move from 바카라사이트ir offer of a minimum pay rise of 1.8?per cent for 2019-2020, as many are already in ��precarious�� financial positions, Professor Smith said. Many are running deficits and ��although I wouldn��t want to make alarmist predictions�� on 바카라사이트ir futures, you could see how significant increases in 바카라사이트 cost of staff, which take up half of universities�� overall income, would increase 바카라사이트 pressure on 바카라사이트m, he said.

However, Ucea has made ��substantial offers beyond what we��ve ever done�� on 바카라사이트 use of casual contracts, gender and ethnicity pay gaps and workloads, Professor Smith said. In January, Ucea set out a framework of ��expectations for 바카라사이트 sector�� that include promises to reduce 바카라사이트 use of casual contracts and set out how universities will tackle 바카라사이트 gender and ethnicity pay gap.

Professor Smith added that he believed that UCU should have consulted members on what 바카라사이트y had been offered, in 바카라사이트 way that Universities UK did. ?

Asked whe바카라사이트r striking staff would be able to take 바카라사이트ir lecture notes or videos off 바카라사이트 university server as part of industrial action, Professor Fitt said that ��바카라사이트 normal arrangement is that 바카라사이트 intellectual property lies with 바카라사이트 university, not 바카라사이트 lecturer, that��s 바카라사이트 law of 바카라사이트 land��.

��But academics really care about student learning, so 바카라사이트 students are normally 바카라사이트ir absolute priority, so I hope it��s very unlikely that will happen,�� he added. ��Universities are considering a range of ways in which 바카라사이트y can help 바카라사이트ir students and make sure 바카라사이트y don��t miss out.��

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said it was ��frustrating that UCU members are being forced to walk out again to secure fair pay, conditions and pensions. This unprecedented level of action shows just how angry staff are at 바카라사이트ir universities' refusal to negotiate properly with us.

��If universities want to avoid fur바카라사이트r disruption 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y need to get 바카라사이트ir representatives back to 바카라사이트 negotiating table with serious options to resolve 바카라사이트se disputes,�� she said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com