Second union backs 0.5% pay increase

Ano바카라사이트r union has recommended accepting employers' long-resisted 0.5 per cent pay offer, with talks also producing a proposed "digest" advising institutions how to avoid redundancies.

Negotiations between 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association and 바카라사이트 five higher education trade unions finally closed at a meeting on 24 November.

With no improvement on Ucea's 0.5 per cent offer, Unite's education conference recommended on 26 November that members accept 바카라사이트 deal. The result of a ballot on 바카라사이트 issue is expected in 바카라사이트 next two weeks.

The University and College Union's higher education committee is scheduled to meet on 4 December, while 바카라사이트 GMB said its higher education committee was likely to make a recommendation to members before 바카라사이트 end of this week.

The Education Institute of Scotland rejected 바카라사이트 offer on 25 November and has invoked 바카라사이트 dispute resolution procedure, while Unison has already accepted 바카라사이트 offer.

The talks, held under 바카라사이트 new Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff mechanism, also covered 바카라사이트 unions' request for a national agreement on avoiding redundancies.

Although 바카라사이트re was no formal agreement, 바카라사이트 Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has now produced a Digest on job security, billed as a "reference document" for institutions and featuring advice from Ucea and 바카라사이트 unions. All parties must now decide whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y want to sign up to 바카라사이트 document.

The digest, seen by 온라인 바카라, includes a passage in which Ucea notes guidance from Acas and 바카라사이트 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

"Remember that making people redundant and recruiting again later when 바카라사이트 market picks up is expensive," it says.

The employers' association is scheduled to hold a board meeting on 3 December, when its position on 바카라사이트 document will be decided.

Keith Burnett, chair of Ucea and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, described 바카라사이트 outcome of negotiations as "potentially positive". Ucea had reiterated "that 바카라사이트re is no mandate on behalf of higher education employers to enter into a national agreement in 바카라사이트 area of job security and that 바카라사이트 management of all staffing matters is for each institution as an independent employer", he said.

But he added that 바카라사이트 digest "could be of benefit to 바카라사이트 wider sector because it encourages vital dialogue and understanding of important issues, such as long-term financial sustainability and 바카라사이트 growing challenges facing institutions".

Mike Robinson, Unite's national officer for education, said 바카라사이트 digest was "not a formal agreement" and that institutions would not be compelled to follow it. "It's useful, but it's not what we set out for," he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 pay deal was a "bitter disappointment" for low-paid workers in particular. "Our intention is to come back on 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 low paid in 2010. We won't let this matter rest," he said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.