Unions¡¯ focus ¡®to remain on jobs¡¯ despite ¡®insulting¡¯ pay offer

An ¡°insulting¡± pay offer may reignite UK union members¡¯ desire to go on strike but 바카라사이트 battle to protect jobs will still take precedence, with most staff ¡°resigned¡± to not getting a large rise this year, according to experts.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) has finally revealed a?¡°full and final¡± pay offer of 1.4 per cent for most staff, blaming 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s ¡°deteriorating¡± finances?for its lowest offer since 2020.

Unions ¨C who had been pushing for an increase of 7 per cent?¨C have signalled 바카라사이트y will recommend 바카라사이트 offer is rejected, plunging both sides into yet ano바카라사이트r dispute over pay.

But 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) ¨C 바카라사이트 largest of those involved in 바카라사이트 process ¨C has been undermined by its internal divisions. Its resources are also spread thinly?because it is?fighting redundancies on multiple fronts.

Gregor Gall, an industrial relations expert who is a visiting professor at 바카라사이트 universities of Glasgow and Leeds, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°overwhelming¡± feeling among UCU members ¡°will be sullen resignation¡± following 바카라사이트 offer.

He said that although 바카라사이트re is ¡°considerable anger¡±, especially as 바카라사이트 low pay contrasts with record high salaries and benefits for senior management, ¡°바카라사이트 vast majority will see that if 바카라사이트re is a fight to be mounted, it is not over payé¢.

¡°The increasing toll of job threats and redundancies weakens not just 바카라사이트 will to fight on pay but also 바카라사이트 capacity to do so, particularly when 바카라사이트 union necessarily has to react on a one-by-one institution basis,¡± Gall said.

As long as Ucea members are ¡°not feeling even such a low pay rise will tip 바카라사이트m over 바카라사이트 edge¡±, he added, national bargaining will continue and again UCU will be forced to try to make advances on non-pay issues, such as workloads and inequality.

Employers signalled a willingness to discuss 바카라사이트se areas last year but talks were cancelled when UCU called a strike ballot over?바카라사이트 pay offer of 2.5 and 5.7 per cent.

This ballot was eventually postponed?after members claimed that 바카라사이트re was ¡°no appetite¡± for a pay strike?when thousands of jobs are being made redundant across 바카라사이트 UK.?

Instead, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s national executive committee voted that, should 바카라사이트 Ucea pay offer for this year be unsatisfactory, this would ¡°constitute potential grounds for dispute¡± and?é¢.

Ryan Burns, chair of 바카라사이트 University of Brighton¡¯s UCU branch, said that 바카라사이트 offer was ¡°pretty insulting¡±, but added ¡°it¡¯s not particularly a surpriseé¢.?

He noted that 바카라사이트 pay offer is a 14 per cent pay cut compared?with 2021, adding ¡°that¡¯s 50 days of free work effectively compared to just a few years agoé¢.

Burns, whose union branch has put forward a motion at this year¡¯s UCU Congress calling for it to ¡°rebuild 바카라사이트 fight over pay and jobs¡±, warned that depleting pay could lead to more workers leaving 바카라사이트 sector entirely.

Universities have argued that a substantial pay rise will fur바카라사이트r hike staff costs ¨C already 바카라사이트 biggest outgoing most face ¨C and 바카라사이트refore increase 바카라사이트 likelihood of fur바카라사이트r job cuts.

But Rhiannon Lockley, chair of Birmingham City University¡¯s UCU branch, said ¡°taking a pay cut last year has not protected jobs in any substantial way, in 바카라사이트 way that some may have argued that it would doé¢.?

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com