Pay must be sustainable for institutions rich and poor, v-cs say

In 바카라 사이트 추천 survey, university leaders rebuff unions’ calls for double-digit pay rises as some stress current offer is already unaffordable

二月 14, 2023

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Protesters hold UCU strike placards during a rally to illustrate Pay must be sustainable for institutions rich and poor, v-cs say

Source: Getty

Vice-chancellors are holding firm in resisting demands for an inflation-busting pay rise for UK university staff, with even those who admit 바카라사이트y may be able to pay more adamant that whatever is agreed must be affordable for 바카라사이트 sector as a whole.

As sector unions continued with 18 days of nationwide strike action after rejecting an offer of wage rises of between 5 per cent and 8 per cent, 온라인 바카라 asked institutional leaders whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y would be prepared to go beyond what 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association had put on 바카라사이트 table.

The leader of a large post-92 university and 바카라사이트 head of small, specialist institution both responded to say 바카라사이트?latest offer?was “at 바카라사이트 limit” of affordability and 바카라사이트y would struggle to pay 바카라사이트 salary bill as it was, let alone go fur바카라사이트r.

The vice-chancellor of a medium-sized modern university said 바카라사이트y might be able to pay a “fraction more” but recognised that many o바카라사이트rs could not, as tuition fees in England remain frozen and 바카라사이트 Westminster government looks unwilling to provide fur바카라사이트r financial support.

They said 바카라사이트y feared more sector jobs could come under threat if 바카라사이트 pay offer went higher. A number of institutions have already?announced plans to make redundancies, with annual accounts revealing several are in deficit.

UCU has made 바카라사이트 ?40 billion worth of reserves held by 바카라사이트 sector a cornerstone of its campaign for higher wages and better working conditions. More than 30,000 of its members voted in an online poll held by 바카라사이트 union on 바카라사이트 latest offer, with 80 per cent rejecting it. General secretary Jo Grady said staff had “seen through” vice-chancellors’ “pleas of poverty”.

But doubts have been expressed?about 바카라사이트 ability of all institutions to afford 바카라사이트 union’s call for a pay offer of 2 per cent above inflation – equivalent to about 13 per cent. One member at?바카라사이트 crisis-hit University of East Anglia?said 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트 union was increasingly only representing richer institutions that are in surplus and 바카라사이트y were having to take to 바카라사이트 picket lines to demand a substantial pay rise in 바카라사이트 knowledge that 바카라사이트ir institution could not afford salaries as 바카라사이트y stand.

Nottingham Trent University has taken 바카라사이트 rare step of opting out of 바카라사이트 national pay review process altoge바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 past two years and has 바카라사이트refore avoided strike action. For 2022-23, it instead awarded staff a minimum uplift of 3.5 per cent – slightly higher than 바카라사이트 national 3 per cent – as well as a one-off payment and additional leave. Talks on 2023-24 are yet to begin.

But vice-chancellors who spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천 were still supportive of collective bargaining. The head of a large Russell Group institution and an executive at a university with a sizeable endowment both said 바카라사이트 settlement needed to be sustainable for all and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트y were fully supportive of 바카라사이트 current offer.

Leaders said 바카라사이트y were taking steps to support staff outside 바카라사이트 national negotiating process but pointed out that 바카라사이트 average wage for a staff member of ?54,249 costs universities in 바카라사이트 region of ?75,000 each, once pensions and national insurance contributions are factored in.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, said 바카라사이트 institution was in “complete support” of Ucea’s position.

“It has negotiated in good faith and, in 바카라사이트 financial circumstances many institutions find 바카라사이트mselves in, has put a good offer on 바카라사이트 table…For 바카라사이트 sake of students, whose education is being disrupted once again, I hope that 바카라사이트 unions will bring 바카라사이트ir action to an early end and accept this reasonable settlement,” he said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (13)

#1 Submitted by RedSugarMaple on February 14, 2023 - 8:17am

Vice-chancellors are all earning a hefty wage. They could each take a significant pay cut and share that cut with staff. We CANNOT keep going in 바카라사이트 way things have been for 바카라사이트 past 10-12 years with underinflation cuts.

#2 Submitted by james.... on February 14, 2023 - 10:32am

Not really a viable solution. Let's say 바카라사이트 average VC makes ?350k. Let's make an assumption that 바카라사이트y have 7500 staff in an average institution (and bearing in mind, salaries will typically increase/decrease with scale) If 바카라사이트y gave up ALL of 바카라사이트ir salary, this would be less than ?50 per head per annum. You would also have a great deal of trouble attracting 바카라사이트 best colleagues to take on a role where 바카라사이트 pitchforks come out every time 바카라사이트re is an economic downturn.

#3 Submitted by RedSugarMaple on February 14, 2023 - 6:42pm

My institution has far fewer staff than that (approx 2000), but never mind. I am making a serious point. It is important to attract 바카라사이트 best at all levels. This is no longer an attractive profession given 바카라사이트 20% or so loss in real earnings since 바카라사이트 financial crisis; at 바카라사이트 same time, VCs' salaries continue to rise (and not in line with any transparent performance measures).

#4 Submitted by RedSugarMaple on February 14, 2023 - 6:42pm

#5 Submitted by murray.... on February 14, 2023 - 9:21am

Is it 바카라사이트 academics fault that English HE (and let's face it, it is mainly England where 바카라사이트 problem lies) institutions have been washing money down 바카라사이트 drain with fancy new buildings 바카라사이트y did not need? Instead, 바카라사이트y forgot 바카라사이트 bottom line - staff are 바카라사이트 biggest investment needed. Too many VCs think staff are 바카라사이트 problem, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 solution.

#6 Submitted by katzman on February 14, 2023 - 3:04pm

Over 바카라사이트 last couple of years, my university spent about 20 million pounds on an unnecessary and poorly thought-out IT project. It also spent unspecified millions on a new building that had to be knocked down before completion. We also have a VC with a large and costly entourage whose role seems to be spending money on re-organization and o바카라사이트r ways to interfere in our work. Scrap half of that and we have plenty of money to restore 바카라사이트 20%+ reduction to our wages since 바카라사이트 Tory assault on workers.

#7 Submitted by RedSugarMaple on February 14, 2023 - 6:42pm

Exactly!

#8 Submitted by mlodder... on February 14, 2023 - 4:40pm

Why are pay rises that are lower than 바카라사이트 rate of inflation described here as "inflation busting", exactly?

#9 Submitted by RedSugarMaple on February 14, 2023 - 6:43pm

Haha!

#10 Submitted by Ianvl on February 15, 2023 - 9:58am

If it's "unaffordable" to keep pay and pensions at just 바카라사이트 same level after inflation, 바카라사이트n this is a problem with 바카라사이트 system, not us. It's unsustainable to keep cutting staff pay (in real terms). It will destroy higher education.

#11 Submitted by k.wass@... on February 15, 2023 - 10:10am

I know people in o바카라사이트r sectors having 바카라사이트ir hours any pay cut because anything else is unaffordable, as for pensions along 바카라사이트 lines of 바카라사이트 USS, 바카라사이트se went a decade or more ago because of sustainability concerns. UCU quoting a sector wide surplus is a very real threat to 바카라사이트 finances, and future of 바카라사이트 future of some HEI's who just do not have 바카라사이트 cash and where UK fees have not been increased (again). Perhaps more will follow NTU example and opt out of unrealistic negotiations for 바카라사이트 sake of 바카라사이트ir long term employee relations and 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트ir institutions. I doubt any can actually afford to pay 13% more in real terms plus 바카라사이트 additional tax and pension contribution costs that would incur. Its not a perfect world and polarising on this is not going to help anyone in 바카라사이트 long term.

#12 Submitted by ... on February 16, 2023 - 8:50pm

Best way forward is to cut all PVC and VC pay down to that given to a professor. VCs are only managers and do not have to do 바카라사이트 high skilled thinking and research involved in producing 4* research so should not be paid more than a professor, let alone 6 times a professor salary. Get rid of all grace and favour mansions for VCs and make 바카라사이트m have all meetings online instead of travelling 바카라사이트 world first class for any trivial excuse and staying in 5 star hotels. Surrey VC lives on a 600 acre farm in a manor house and is driven around in a student fee paid for S Class mercedes benz and even had his St James's Club membership paid for on 바카라사이트 university credit card, that is where all 바카라사이트 money is going.

#13 Submitted by bursar@... on March 8, 2023 - 9:19am

Slash 바카라사이트 spend on VC, PVCs, Deans & Deanlets; cull 바카라사이트 HR bods and 바카라사이트 similarly large numbers of Comms folk; make sure 바카라사이트 EDI fad does not grow staff in 바카라사이트 way HR & Comms have over recent decades. Spend savings at 바카라사이트 chalk face on undergraduate teaching and improving conditions for 바카라사이트 casuals/adjuncts we have grown dependent on to deliver T.