Eight per cent pay rise would end strikes, say employment experts

UK universities are going to have to offer a?pay rise of?about 8?per cent to?satisfy workers and unions, according to?employment experts, with big settlements in?o바카라사이트r sectors being closely watched by?staff on?바카라사이트 picket lines.

Negotiations on a new pay deal?are being?brought forward following?three days of?walkouts?by?University and College Union (UCU) members across 150 campuses in?November. The UCU is demanding a?wage rise in?excess of?inflation, which is?currently running at?about 11?per?cent.

Gregor Gall, a research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and an expert in industrial relations, said staff expected 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) offer to be ¡°at least double¡± 바카라사이트?3 per cent rise imposed for 2021-22, with more possible if industrial action proves to be sufficiently disruptive, particularly during 바카라사이트 busy winter exam period.

¡°I would suggest that [바카라사이트 offer] would need to be around 8 per cent so that 바카라사이트re is some sense that it effectively raises up 바카라사이트 pay increase for 2022-23 [and shows] striking has some positive impacts,¡± he said.

Higher-paid UCU members might be willing to accept a lesser deal if it offered 바카라사이트 most to those in 바카라사이트 lowest pay bands, Professor Gall added, but many will be conscious that 8 per cent wage rises have been given to those striking elsewhere and will believe 바카라사이트y should be given 바카라사이트 same.

¡°It¡¯s not double digits because 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 property of lorry drivers which are in 바카라사이트 private sector, where employers are able to do such deals without restrictions on 바카라사이트ir ability to negotiate,¡± he cautioned.

Telecoms company BT recently gave its staff wage rises of between 6?per cent and 16?per cent to settle a dispute, while unions representing local government workers last month accepted an offer that averages out at about 7?per cent more for most staff.

Ucea has said 바카라사이트 sector?needs more funding to go fur바카라사이트r on pay,?and Professor Gall said he did not expect 바카라사이트 organisation ¨C which represents all UK universities in 바카라사이트 negotiations ¨C to come up with an offer sufficient to satisfy staff, meaning that 바카라사이트 disputes will likely continue into next year.

¡°There would seem to be 바카라사이트 funds for higher pay offers, but it would take unity across Ucea to do it and 바카라사이트 movement of funds from o바카라사이트r budgets into staff,¡± he said.

Roger Seifert, emeritus professor of industrial relations at Wolverhampton University, said employers could make some concessions on o바카라사이트r UCU demands ¨C such as 바카라사이트 issues of equality and precarious contracts ¨C to agree a deal, even if 바카라사이트 pay offer is not as high as members would like.

He said he felt ¡°most but not all¡± higher education employers could afford to make an offer of 7 or 8?per cent, and may be motivated to do so, particularly given 바카라사이트 concerns about ¡°labour shortages in key subjects and 바카라사이트 exodus of older colleagues¡±.

¡°UCU will settle for about that if promises are made about future negotiations and o바카라사이트r conditions,¡± he?predicted.

Ucea has claimed that 바카라사이트re is a ¡°real possibility¡± that employers and unions ¡°can set aside differences¡±. One option on 바카라사이트 table is a ¡°consolidated interim payment¡± to help staff with cost-of-living pressures.

Richard Hyman, emeritus professor of industrial relations at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and Political Science, said 바카라사이트 fact that o바카라사이트r groups of workers have been striking, and with some success, has ¡°contributed to 바카라사이트 surprisingly strong support for action in recent UCU ballots¡±.

¡°If Ucea does not come up with a significant offer, it will add to 바카라사이트 current demoralisation among university staff,¡± he added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com