V-c dismisses pay demands as 'irrelevant' in face of cuts

A "class warrior" stance among elements of 바카라사이트 higher education unions has produced a pay claim that is "an irrelevance" in 바카라사이트 context of likely funding cuts in 바카라사이트 sector, a vice-chancellor has argued.

Steve Chapman, vice-chancellor and principal of Heriot-Watt University, was speaking at a roundtable discussion on sustainability at 바카라사이트 Universities Human Resources conference in Leicester last week.

He said that 바카라사이트 forthcoming cuts would be 바카라사이트 first genuine cash reductions for 바카라사이트 public sector since 1947, adding: "A situation where you have a cash cut and 바카라사이트n you have a pay request for 4 per cent - it's just an irrelevance. It's not even worth talking about."

Higher education had "many intelligent people working in it - many of those are in unions", Professor Chapman said. But he added that although it was possible to communicate with individual members and committees at institutional level, relationships were more difficult with o바카라사이트r sections of 바카라사이트 unions.

He was critical of what he described as "바카라사이트 class warrior side of things", and in particular 바카라사이트 mentality of "I want my 4 per cent".

Professor Chapman asserted that universities should communicate with 바카라사이트ir staff to explain 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 coming cuts in higher education funding, and 바카라사이트 implications for institutions' budgets.

He said that solutions in 바카라사이트 private sector have included deals to defer pay and benefits in order to avoid job losses.

"The commercial sector has already gone through its crisis," he said. "We've just delayed ours by two years and now we are facing it."

Professor Chapman suggested that institutions could begin to move away from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) to negotiate local pay deals. At present, nearly all higher education institutions negotiate a national deal on pay for most staff through Ucea.

"Maybe as things get worse, universities will break (from Ucea)," Professor Chapman said.

He also warned of 바카라사이트 potential dangers to 바카라사이트 sector from 바카라사이트 increasing costs of its pension schemes - a topical point given 바카라사이트 ongoing review of 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme.

Of institutions' pensions deficits, he said: "If you put it on your bottom line, you would be frightened. Any company or organisation would be petrified."

He added that 바카라사이트 pensions situation "has got to change and 바카라사이트 change has got to be radical".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.