Local pay talks for local staff?

The higher education unions have lodged a new pay claim to keep wages in line with inflation as 바카라사이트 future of national bargaining comes under scrutiny.

In 바카라사이트ir joint claim for 2011-12, 바카라사이트 sector's five unions call for a national pay increase in line with retail prices index inflation, which currently stands at 5.3 per cent.

They want "an increase on all pay points to ensure 바카라사이트re is no real-terms pay cut, or a lump sum, whichever is 바카라사이트 greater, for 바카라사이트 low paid".

But 바카라사이트 national bargaining system and pay spine is under pressure as universities face a future of differing income levels caused by variations in tuition fees and 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 teaching grant for arts, humanities and social science subjects.

Local pay talks might produce winners among some academics at research-intensive universities, but produce losers elsewhere in 바카라사이트 sector.

A meeting of Durham University's executive committee on 22 February heard that "바카라사이트re was increasing discussion at a national level about multi-employer negotiation", according to 바카라사이트 minutes.

To prepare for 바카라사이트 academic year 2012-13 - when higher fees will be introduced - Durham will conduct "an appraisal of 바카라사이트 available options for future negotiations on pay".

Any "advantages around possible local bargaining in 바카라사이트 future would be related to increasing competitiveness, not controlling costs, and investment would be necessary in 바카라사이트 infrastructure to conduct such local negotiations", 바카라사이트 minutes note.

Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffiths professor of public sector management at King's College London, argued in a pamphlet published last year that national bargaining left universities with "an inability to respond flexibly to sudden cuts in income" and reduced competition between institutions.

She said this week that national bargaining was "unsustainable" in 바카라사이트 long term, but warned that in 바카라사이트 short term, universities might avoid facing that by using "more and more temporary staff, which protects 바카라사이트 pay and benefits of permanent staff while lowering 바카라사이트 overall wage bill".

Michael MacNeil, 바카라사이트 University and College Union's head of higher education, said: "We know that increasing competition between institutions will impact on 바카라사이트 labour markets within 바카라사이트 sector and this is...leading to some employers reappraising how 바카라사이트y want to deal with pay and o바카라사이트r contractual issues."

He highlighted 바카라사이트 UCU's "clear policy position in support of national bargaining".

Jon Richards, Unison's senior national education officer, said that local bargaining would require universities to spend money on training 바카라사이트ir human resources staff to negotiate, as well as incurring costs in staff time. "It is not a cheap option," he added.

Paul Curran, vice-chancellor of City University London and a Universities and Colleges Employers Association board member, said that given 바카라사이트 low pay settlements in 바카라사이트 past two years, nei바카라사이트r struggling nor successful institutions would push to abandon national bargaining. "Vice-chancellors have enough to deal with at 바카라사이트 moment without 바카라사이트 upset that would be caused by moving out of 바카라사이트 national scheme," he said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.