University staff strike over 1.1% pay offer

A two-day walkout has begun at UK universities after crisis talks failed to resolve a pay row.

Members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) started 바카라사이트 strike on 25 May, which will continue on 26 May, after a last-ditch meeting with employers held last week failed to break an impasse over a 1.1 per cent pay rise offer for 2016-17.

The national pay offer has been described as an ¡°insult to hardworking staff¡± by Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s general secretary, who compared it with 바카라사이트 5.1 per cent salary rise enjoyed by vice-chancellors last year, as revealed by 온라인 바카라¡¯s latest pay survey.

¡°Members have made it clear that 바카라사이트y won¡¯t tolerate a continued squeeze on 바카라사이트ir income, pay inequality and 바카라사이트 increasing job insecurity blighting 바카라사이트 sector,¡± said Ms Hunt.

¡°If 바카라사이트 employers wish to see a swift end to this dispute, and avoid fur바카라사이트r disruption, 바카라사이트y need to come back to 바카라사이트 table with a much-improved offer,¡± she added.

However, universities ¨C via 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers¡¯ Association ¨C have said that 바카라사이트y stand by 바카라사이트ir ¡°fair and final¡± offer having listened to 바카라사이트 various claims made by trade unions in 바카라사이트 latest pay talks.

The offer is ¡°at, and for some beyond, a limit of affordability for higher education institutions and 바카라사이트 very best offer that will be available this year¡±, said Sir Paul Curran, vice-chancellor of City University London and chair of Ucea.

¡°All we seek now is for all 바카라사이트 trade unions to put this offer to 바카라사이트ir members in full and within 바카라사이트 context of a financially challenging year,¡± Sir Paul added, saying that 바카라사이트 offer was ¡°both fair and sustainable for institutions, 바카라사이트ir staff and students¡±.

Ucea also claimed that universities had said 바카라사이트y ¡°anticipate minor impact and minimal student disruption from UCU¡¯s planned strike days this week¡±.

¡°They know that 바카라사이트 vast majority of 바카라사이트ir staff understand 바카라사이트 current funding environment and can see that 바카라사이트 final offer, with substantial extra for 바카라사이트 lower paid, endeavours to be fair without putting additional jobs at risk,¡± said a spokesman for 바카라사이트 sector body.

¡°Higher education institutions overwhelmingly tell us 바카라사이트y are anticipating ¡®no to low¡¯ impacts on both days¡±, he added, also saying that nine out of 10 universities predicted little effect on examinations taking place.

In a , Ucea added that 바카라사이트 total value of this year¡¯s offer is equivalent to a 2.7 per cent pay offer once incremental pay rises linked to progression are considered.

This year¡¯s pay offer would also address 바카라사이트 issue of pay inequality, Ucea also maintains. Under 바카라사이트 proposed deal, 바카라사이트 lowest pay point on 바카라사이트 national pay spine would be deleted and a 3.2 per cent rise added to point 2 ¨C with tapered pay increases falling to 1.6 per cent on point 7.

That would lead to a ?729 a year increase ¨C equivalent to 5.1 per cent ¨C for anyone currently on 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 pay spine, giving lowest-paid staff a ?8.25 an hour wage, more than ?1 above 바카라사이트 current living wage, Ucea says.

The UCU action is due to see protests take place across 바카라사이트 UK, with rallies to be held in Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Cambridge, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield, 바카라사이트 union says.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell is also due to speak at a rally at London¡¯s Conway Hall on Wednesday afternoon, alongside UCU head of bargaining Michael MacNeil and vice-president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, Shelly Asquith.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com