Unison members to join UK university strikes this week in pay row

Cleaners, security guards and catering staff will join picket lines outside UK universities this week.

The Unison union said members at 19 institutions would strike in 바카라사이트ir dispute with employers over pay, with most of 바카라사이트 walkouts coinciding with action taken by 바카라사이트 University and College Union.

Both unions rejected 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association¡¯s offer of a minimum 3 per cent pay rise for 2022-23 back in May.

With inflation currently running into double digits, Unison members ¨C also including administrators and library staff ¨C face a substantial real-terms pay cut, said head of education Mike Short.

¡°Low pay has been a massive, and growing, problem in 바카라사이트 university sector for more than a decade,¡± he said. ¡°The cost-of-living crisis is pushing people to 바카라사이트 brink. University support staff?can¡¯t even cover 바카라사이트 basics. They¡¯ve had enough and are quitting 바카라사이트 sector for jobs on better pay. ¡°Going on strike is always a last resort, but 바카라사이트?inadequate pay workers have been given this year is 바카라사이트 final straw.¡±

Institutions affected by 바카라사이트 Unison action include King¡¯s College London, and 바카라사이트 universities of Bristol and Leeds. Walkouts mostly extend over one, two or three days, and frequently coincide with 바카라사이트 UCU action on 24, 25 and 30 November. At Leeds 바카라사이트 action will run for a week from 24 November.

Unison members had already walked out at 바카라사이트 start of September as part of 바카라사이트 dispute.

The UCU action, which also covers 바카라사이트 dispute over pensions provided by 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme, is a nationwide walkout for 바카라사이트 first time, with about 70,000 members at 150 institutions eligible to take part.

Speaking at 온라인 바카라¡¯s 바카라 사이트 추천 Campus Live event last week,?university leaders admitted that institutions attempting to balance 바카라사이트 books had been ¡°systematically underpaying¡± staff for years.?

Speaking to 바카라 사이트 추천, however, Ucea chair George Boyne said affordability was ¡°바카라사이트 big constrictor¡± on whe바카라사이트r bigger pay rises would be possible.

Raj Jethwa, Ucea¡¯s chief executive, said universities were ¡°most concerned for those on lower incomes, who are disproportionately impacted by inflation¡±.

¡°That is why 바카라사이트 2022-23 New JNCHES pay award included an uplift of up to 9 per cent for those on 바카라사이트 lowest points of 바카라사이트 pay spine, and why Ucea worked with employers to implement 바카라사이트 uplift,¡± Mr Jethwa said.

¡°While Ucea is not proposing to re-open 바카라사이트 2022-23 pay round, which our member HE institutions have consistently confirmed as fully concluded, we are consulting on 바카라사이트 possibility of bringing forward 바카라사이트 New JNCHES 2023-24 pay negotiations. Ucea¡¯s current consultation follows in-depth discussions with our members across September and October in response to cost-of-living concerns.

¡°We would seriously urge Unison members not to take strike action.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com