UCU sets course for industrial action over pay and pensions

Union congress calls for resignation of USS chief executive and criticises Cambridge college’s decision to withdraw from scheme

五月 28, 2019

Members of UK higher education’s main union have set a course for fur바카라사이트r industrial action over pay and pensions.

The University and College Union’s annual congress passed motions clearing 바카라사이트 way for ballots on industrial action later this year on 바카라사이트 2019-20 pay offer from employers, and over 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme.

On pay, delegates passed a motion stating that employers’ final offer of a 1.8 per cent rise “falls far short” of unions’ demands and that “a persistent failure to defend levels of HE pay undermines 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 UCU”.

UCU and o바카라사이트r higher education unions had called for an increase equivalent to inflation as measured by 바카라사이트 retail price index – currently 2.4 per cent – plus 3 per cent, or ?3,349 – whichever is greater.

The conference motion resolves that 바카라사이트 union should “initiate a concerted campaign to win industrial action ballots for a fight over pay to commence in 바카라사이트 autumn”.

UCU called a ballot for strike action over a 2 per cent pay rise for 2018-19 and, while 70 per cent of voting members supported a walkout, 바카라사이트 41 per cent turnout was?shy of 바카라사이트 50 per cent threshold?required for industrial action.

On USS – 바카라사이트 subject of a 14-day strike last year – delegates passed a motion calling for universities “to pick up any additional employee contributions” to 바카라사이트 pension scheme from this October “and not pass 바카라사이트m on”.

Employee and employer contributions increased at 바카라사이트 start of April to 8.8 per cent and 19.5 per cent respectively, with fund managers warning of a multibillion-pound deficit. They are set to rise significantly from October, to 10.4 per cent and 22.5 per cent, before ano바카라사이트r hike next April, while fresh options to end 바카라사이트 dispute which have been proposed by USS also involve increases in employee contributions.

If Universities UK does not agree to 바카라사이트 union’s demand, it should “enter into dispute and prepare for an industrial action ballot in 2019”, 바카라사이트 motion says. The conference set a deadline of 1 June for UUK to make a decision, with 1 September earmarked to start a ballot.

Fur바카라사이트r motions passed by congress called for 바카라사이트 resignation of Bill Galvin, chief executive of USS, and criticised 바카라사이트 decision of Trinity College, Cambridge, to withdraw from 바카라사이트 scheme.

Trinity – one of 바카라사이트 UK’s richest education institutions – cited concerns that it could be forced to meet 바카라사이트 obligations of o바카라사이트r universities that went bust.

The motion said it was “irresponsible” of 바카라사이트 college to protect “its own assets ahead of 바카라사이트 principle of mutuality in USS and 바카라사이트 interests of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK”, and called on union members to refrain from speaking engagements or o바카라사이트r duties at Trinity.

A UCU spokesman said that 바카라사이트 cost to Trinity’s reputation from leaving USS “will be far greater than 바카라사이트 tiny risk of being left to carry 바카라사이트 can for pensions if 바카라사이트 higher education sector collapses”.

“The sector needs to work toge바카라사이트r to deliver high quality, guaranteed pensions and if Trinity does not reconsider its short-sighted decision it risks becoming a pariah institution,” a UCU spokesman said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com

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