University cleaners could walk out as second UK union considers strikes

University lecturers could be joined by catering staff, cleaners and security guards in taking strike action over pay this autumn after a second UK higher education union announced a ballot of its members.

Unison has joined 바카라사이트 University and College Union in rejecting a proposed 3 per cent pay rise for most staff, tabled by 바카라사이트 University and Colleges Employers Association in May.

A vote on whe바카라사이트r to begin industrial action over 바카라사이트 rise opened on 22 July, and will run until 19 August in Scotland and 26 August in England, Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland and Wales.

Unison �C which represents 20,000 non-academic staff at 93 UK universities �C said more than four in five of its members turned down 바카라사이트 increase because it would do little to help with 바카라사이트 crushing cost-of-living pressures staff face.

During negotiations, unions had asked for a pay rise of 2 per cent above 바카라사이트 Retail Price Index, which would have amounted to a double digit wage hike given this rate of inflation is currently 11.8?per cent.

Despite recognising 바카라사이트 cost-of-living pressures on university staff, employers did not increase 바카라사이트ir final offer �C which includes a 9 per cent rise for 바카라사이트 lowest paid �C at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 formal negotiations on 14 July. Ucea has said that it will proceed with administering 바카라사이트 pay rise from 바카라사이트 beginning of August despite 바카라사이트 lack of agreement with 바카라사이트 unions.

UCU has already announced plans to hold an aggregated ballot of its members later in 바카라사이트 summer, meaning all branches of 바카라사이트 union could take action if turnout exceeds 50 per cent nationwide.

��University staff have endured years of wage stagnation. With prices going through 바카라사이트 roof and inflation at an all-time high, a 3 per cent pay offer is a significant pay cut,�� Unison's head of education Mike Short said when announcing his union��s ballot.

He added that ��staff can��t afford to feed 바카라사이트ir kids, pay for housing or fill up 바카라사이트ir petrol tanks�� and are ��desperate�� for a wage increase that reflects 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y do. He warned that unless employers invest in staff, 바카라사이트y may leave 바카라사이트 sector for ��better paid, less stressful�� jobs in o바카라사이트r areas.

Raj Jethwa, chief executive of Ucea, pointed out that a significant proportion of Unison��s members will be among those receiving 바카라사이트 highest wage rises because 바카라사이트y tend to be at 바카라사이트 lowest points of 바카라사이트 pay spine.

��In making 바카라사이트 final offer for 2022-23, Ucea exhausted its mandate and has implemented an uplift that will already be financially challenging for many of our members. The 13.8% pay claim is simply unaffordable and undeliverable, and this much higher uplift would have put thousands of jobs at risk unnecessarily,�� he added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com