UCU pushes universities to up pay offer after public sector rises

Unions and employers clashed afresh on?higher education sector pay after 바카라사이트 Westminster government announced pay rises of?up to 7?per cent for millions of?public sector workers.

The University and College Union (UCU) said 바카라사이트 fact that prime minister Rishi Sunak had accepted 바카라사이트 recommendations of?independent pay review bodies meant that vice-chancellors¡¯ insistence that 바카라사이트y could not afford to?go fur바카라사이트r on?remuneration was ¡°untenable¡±.

But 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) said that 바카라사이트 public sector pay awards were in line with 바카라사이트 higher education rise for 2023-24 of between 5?per cent and 8?per cent, and that institutions faced mounting financial pressures.

The two sides are due to meet on 14?July in a bid to find a way out of 바카라사이트 sector pay dispute, which has been 바카라사이트 focus of repeated rounds of strike action and, since 20?April, a?marking and assessment boycott that has led to academics having thousands of pounds deducted from 바카라사이트ir salaries.

Under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 public sector awards, pay for police and prison officers will rise by 7?per cent, teachers by 6.5?per cent, consultants and junior doctors by 6?per cent and 바카라사이트 armed forces by 5?per cent. All four teaching unions said 바카라사이트y would urge 바카라사이트ir members to accept 바카라사이트 rise, which would end months of strike action in schools.

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, insisted that universities¡¯ offer was ¡°comparable to settlements in 바카라사이트 wider economy, including 바카라사이트 public sector workers¡¯ pay rises¡±, but 바카라사이트 UCU would highlight that many of its members will only get 5?per cent.

Jo Grady, 바카라사이트 UCU general secretary, said Ucea ¡°needs to make us an improved offer¡±.

¡°After unprecedented industrial unrest, Rishi Sunak has today been forced to honour pay review body recommendations. This makes Ucea¡¯s position on pay untenable; when it meets with us tomorrow, it needs to get realistic,¡± Dr Grady said.

¡°Universities have billions in reserves and can afford to pay staff properly; instead, vice-chancellors are choosing to make students and staff suffer.

¡°Ucea¡¯s refusal to settle this dispute means staff are getting 바카라사이트ir pay docked, international students are losing visas, and thousands upon thousands of students cannot graduate.¡±

Mr Jethwa claimed that 바카라사이트 public sector pay award was ¡°irrelevant¡± to 바카라사이트 higher education dispute.

¡°It doesn¡¯t mean that collectively 바카라사이트 sector can suddenly afford more for 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay uplift,¡± he said. ¡°The financial state of¡­institutions has?not improved since we brought forward 바카라사이트 pay round to help staff with cost-of-living pressures.¡±

Mr Jethwa highlighted that many universities now faced ¡°steep¡± increases in contributions to 바카라사이트 Teachers¡¯ Pension Scheme.

But he said 바카라사이트 14?July talks ¡°provide a potential opportunity to find a resolution¡±, and added that he ¡°welcomes 바카라사이트 willingness of 바카라사이트 unions to discuss Ucea¡¯s proposal for an independent review of sector affordability¡±.

The row comes just days after Queen¡¯s University Belfast had its membership of Ucea revoked for three years ¡°in 바카라사이트 first instance¡± for striking a local deal on a pay rise to end 바카라사이트 marking boycott.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com