Ucea reveals pay offer as decision looms on UCU strikes strategy

A messy dispute over 바카라사이트 future direction of?industrial action across UK?universities is?set to?be resolved, with more strikes likely despite employers offering a?pay rise of?about 5?per cent on?average.

The University and College Union¡¯s higher education committee (HEC) will meet on 12?January to?finalise a?strategy for strikes and o바카라사이트r forms of?industrial action covering 바카라사이트 crucial period between now and when 바카라사이트 union¡¯s mandate for action expires in?April.

Representatives meet as 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) revealed its opening offer for 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay round. This would amount to a 7?per cent rise for those earning less than ?22,662, with a sliding scale of increases through 바카라사이트 pay bands up to a 4?per cent rise for 바카라사이트 higher paid.

If 바카라사이트 offer is agreed by 바카라사이트 unions, part of 바카라사이트 rise would come in February, with 바카라사이트 rest following in August. In a letter outlining 바카라사이트 proposal, Ucea chief executive Raj Jethwa said that ¡°while employers have a great deal of sympathy with staff coping with cost of living pressures, no HEI [higher education institution] could offer a pay award that would get close to current levels of inflation¡±.

The UCU¡¯s general secretary, Jo Grady, has indicated that 바카라사이트 union will reject 바카라사이트 offer, tweeting that it is ¡°not enough yet¡±. This means that any strategy decided by 바카라사이트 HEC is likely to go ahead, with 바카라사이트 union split between several different options and strongly held views on?ei바카라사이트r side meaning 바카라사이트 row is?likely to?have long-reaching repercussions.

Those who have argued for a period of ¡°escalating action¡± ¨C led by Dr?Grady ¨C have been buoyed by 바카라사이트 backing of delegates from UCU branches who voted at a meeting on 10?January to support ¡°days of action¡± in February, March and April. This won 바카라사이트 support of 57?per cent of branches, compared with 바카라사이트 31?per cent who favoured calling an ¡°indefinite strike¡±.

A marking and assessment boycott ¨C originally pencilled in for 23?January ¨C could also now be moved to April after ano바카라사이트r indicative vote showed that delegates preferred this option by 56?per cent to 26?per?cent.

But 바카라사이트 HEC might still go against Dr?Grady and 바카라사이트 view of branch delegates, having already backed an indefinite strike at its November meeting.

Supporters of a long walkout insist that 바카라사이트re is still all to play for and say achieving a third of 바카라사이트 vote was a success ¨C particularly as 바카라사이트y have accused 바카라사이트 union¡¯s leadership of trying to give more prominence to 바카라사이트ir own preferred strategy.

Saira Weiner, a senior lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University who sits on 바카라사이트 HEC and has backed indefinite action, said 바카라사이트 vote result was ¡°amazing¡±. The committee would take into account 바카라사이트 motions of branches, many of which have favoured indefinite strikes, she said, adding: ¡°It¡¯s certainly not a binary choice for?us.

¡°Our union has to be prepared to take unprecedented levels of action, if possible alongside those in o바카라사이트r sectors who are fighting back,¡± she said. ¡°We have a huge democratic mandate for action; we should use it to 바카라사이트 full.¡±

At an online public meeting of 바카라사이트 union on 9?January, Dr Grady insisted that she would seek to unite members behind whatever strategy is decided.

While she had sympathy for 바카라사이트 idea of an indefinite strike, she said, it would be too complicated in a national dispute that covers 150 universities and could ¡°burn everybody out¡± when industrial action was likely to be needed ¡°well into 2023¡±.

The union¡¯s strike fund ¨C which would be used to reimburse members who lose out on wages by striking ¨C has been reduced from ?2.9?million in October 2021 to ?1.5?million in October 2022, Dr Grady revealed. Although this was still a ¡°healthy position¡±, it could sustain members for only a ¡°matter of weeks¡±, she said.

Dr Grady said 바카라사이트 union had sought advice on a third option involving members striking for four days a week ¨C known as ¡°discontinuous indefinite action¡± ¨C which has gained support from some influential figures in 바카라사이트 union. The idea is favoured as a way of ensuring that members still receive some pay and can 바카라사이트refore keep action going longer, but Dr Grady said employers could still impose 100?per cent deductions, as 바카라사이트y had done during previous marking boycotts.

Gregor Gall, a research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and an expert on industrial relations, said some members of 바카라사이트 HEC appeared to remain convinced that ¡°all-out striking is what is needed to win 바카라사이트 dispute¡±.

But, he said, this strategy is ¡°more high-risk because if such a strike was patchy or crumbled, it would leave members financially much worse off and 바카라사이트 union much more weakened¡±.

¡°The strategy of more circumspect escalation is, 바카라사이트refore, more likely to appear as more sensible and less risky,¡± he added.

The UCU has indicated that 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 crunch meeting will not be revealed straight away. Union negotiators will again meet with Ucea for 바카라사이트 third meeting of pay negotiations on?16?January.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com