Unions ¡®disappointed¡¯ as Ucea goes ahead with interim pay rise

Staff at UK higher education providers will receive a pay rise in 바카라사이트ir March wages after employers went ahead with a planned increase despite not reaching an agreement with 바카라사이트 unions.

All those on 바카라사이트 pay points covered by 바카라사이트 national negotiations will receive 2 per cent extra or ?1,000 ¨C whichever is higher ¨C with more to follow in August.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) has rejected unions¡¯ appeals for a pay rise more in line with 바카라사이트 current rate of inflation, claiming its latest offer is at 바카라사이트?limit of what 바카라사이트 sector can afford.

University and College Union (UCU) negotiators had still hoped to nudge 바카라사이트 award higher during talks facilitated by 바카라사이트 Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) ¨C which will continue next week.

But Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, said 바카라사이트 body regarded 바카라사이트 pay side of 바카라사이트 talks as complete and it has advised institutions to implement 바카라사이트 pay rise, backdated to February.

¡°At 바카라사이트 unions¡¯ request, Ucea agreed that no uplift would be implemented until 바카라사이트 beginning of March,¡± he said.

¡°We have respected this request but Ucea and 바카라사이트 trade unions have also agreed that an impasse had been reached in respect of 바카라사이트 pay uplift. While we very much regret this, 바카라사이트 intention in bringing forward 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay round was to provide support at this time to staff facing cost-of-living pressures.¡±

Institutions face a challenge to get some of 바카라사이트 uplift into March pay packets, he added, and it was felt ¡°it would have been unfair to delay 바카라사이트 early pay uplift to all staff for any longer¡±.

Eventually staff on 바카라사이트 lowest end of 바카라사이트 pay scale will receive a rise of 8 per cent, with those at 바카라사이트 highest point receiving 5 per cent. Unions had argued for a double-digit rise, but experts predicted that 바카라사이트y?would settle on 8 per cent?for all.?

Mr Jethwa said talks facilitated by Acas had been ¡°constructive¡± and ¡°fur바카라사이트r progress has been made towards 바카라사이트 review of 바카라사이트 national HE pay spine¡±?that could again raise 바카라사이트 wages of 바카라사이트 lowest paid. He said talks would now move on to ¡°non-pay issues¡±.

UCU?cancelled planned strike action?in late February and early March to allow for a ¡°period of quiet¡± while 바카라사이트 talks?took place. The union faced a?backlash to this decision from some members?who called it ¡°undemocratic¡±. In 바카라사이트 face of such criticism, it held an indicative online poll and has revealed that 71 per cent of its members who voted backed 바카라사이트 pause.

The union¡¯s higher education committee was meeting on 24 February to discuss next steps and members were voting in a re-ballot on whe바카라사이트r to extend 바카라사이트 union¡¯s mandate for industrial action by ano바카라사이트r six months.?

A joint statement from higher education unions confirmed talks would continue for ano바카라사이트r week and said 바카라사이트y had ¡°continued to push employers¡­on 바카라사이트 issues of pay, workload, casualisation and equality pay gaps¡±.

The unions?said 바카라사이트y were ¡°disappointed that Ucea has moved to instruct its members to impose 바카라사이트 first element of 바카라사이트 2023-24 pay proposal. This is despite nothing yet having been agreed on pay. The unions will continue to make that clear in negotiations.¡±

Such a move was ¡°regrettable, given 바카라사이트 strain it inevitably places on 바카라사이트 current Acas-facilitated negotiations¡±, unions said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com