Category: HE pay

Support staff to strike at 17 universities this week over pay

Support staff at 17 universities in England* are striking today and tomorrow in an ongoing dispute about pay, says UNISON today (Monday).

Cleaners, IT technicians, administrators and library staff will be among those walking out in coordinated action aimed at disrupting the start of the new academic year, says the union.

Staff rejected a below-inflation pay deal in February and voted to strike. They are yet to receive a better offer and say they have little alternative but to take industrial action.

More than 5,000 staff are expected to walk out over the two days, as the pay row escalates. There are also demonstrations and rallies taking place across the country.

UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “University staff are still waiting for a decent pay offer from universities and now have little option but to escalate their action.

“Support staff play a crucial role in helping students through university, but they’ve endured years of real-terms pay cuts. Bills and other costs continue to rise and some staff are leaving the sector for better-paid jobs elsewhere.

“Universities need to make staff a serious offer to resolve the dispute and avoid further disruption.”

Notes to editors:
– *The following universities will see strike action this week: Arts University Bournemouth; University of Bedfordshire; University of Brighton; City, University of London; University of Chichester; University of Gloucestershire; University of Leeds; Leeds Trinity University; University of Liverpool; Liverpool Hope University; Manchester Metropolitan University; Plymouth Marjon University; SOAS, University of London; Solent University; University of Sussex; University of the West of England and University of Winchester.
– The Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association made a pay offer for 2023/24 in January, with increases of 5-8% depending on individual workers’ salaries. This was then given to staff, with the first payments made from February. When put to UNISON members, 82% voted to reject this pay rise.

Media contact:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

 

The article Support staff to strike at 17 universities this week over pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Support staff to strike at 17 universities this week over pay

Support staff at 17 universities in England* are striking today and tomorrow in an ongoing dispute about pay, says UNISON today (Monday).

Cleaners, IT technicians, administrators and library staff will be among those walking out in coordinated action aimed at disrupting the start of the new academic year, says the union.

Staff rejected a below-inflation pay deal in February and voted to strike. They are yet to receive a better offer and say they have little alternative but to take industrial action.

More than 5,000 staff are expected to walk out over the two days, as the pay row escalates. There are also demonstrations and rallies taking place across the country.

UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “University staff are still waiting for a decent pay offer from universities and now have little option but to escalate their action.

“Support staff play a crucial role in helping students through university, but they’ve endured years of real-terms pay cuts. Bills and other costs continue to rise and some staff are leaving the sector for better-paid jobs elsewhere.

“Universities need to make staff a serious offer to resolve the dispute and avoid further disruption.”

Notes to editors:
– *The following universities will see strike action this week: Arts University Bournemouth; University of Bedfordshire; University of Brighton; City, University of London; University of Chichester; University of Gloucestershire; University of Leeds; Leeds Trinity University; University of Liverpool; Liverpool Hope University; Manchester Metropolitan University; Plymouth Marjon University; SOAS, University of London; Solent University; University of Sussex; University of the West of England and University of Winchester.
– The Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association made a pay offer for 2023/24 in January, with increases of 5-8% depending on individual workers’ salaries. This was then given to staff, with the first payments made from February. When put to UNISON members, 82% voted to reject this pay rise.

Media contact:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

 

The article Support staff to strike at 17 universities this week over pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.

University strikes loom unless pay increases

Support staff at nine universities in England have voted to strike over a “sub-par” pay offer from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), says UNISON today (Monday).

Cleaners, IT technicians, library staff and other higher education workers will now decide on dates to take action unless UCEA increases its pay offer for 2023/24.

UNISON says the current offer falls a long way short of inflation and staff deserve more.

Staff could walk out at the University of Bedfordshire, University of Bristol, Liverpool Hope University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Sussex, University of Winchester and SOAS University of London.

The 2023/24 pay offer is worth 5-8% depending on salary, with a higher percentage rise for lower paid workers. Some of this amount – around £83 per month before tax – was paid early to staff in February to help with the increasing cost of living.

UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “University staff deserve more than another sub-par pay deal.

“Support workers play a crucial role helping students through university, but many can’t support themselves as prices of food and fuel continue to rise.

“Workers are having to leave for better-paid jobs elsewhere leaving millions of students facing a worsening university experience.

“The employers must now come back with a better pay offer or staff will be forced to take industrial action.”

Notes to editors:  
– Details of how the 2023/24 pay offer will affect university support staff are available here.
– UNISON was in dispute with UCEA over the 2022/23 pay award and took strike action in 19 higher education institutions in the autumn and earlier this year. This remains unresolved but as a result, UCEA offered to bring forward the start of wage negotiations for 2023-24 and pay part of this year’s wage rise early (from February).
– Talks are ongoing between UNISON, other higher education unions and employers on a range of other issues. These include a review of salaries to better address low pay, reducing excessive workloads and the use of insecure contracts.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article University strikes loom unless pay increases first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Joint union statement: Acas higher education talks

Today (Friday 24 February) the five unions UCU, UNISON, Unite, EIS and GMB, representing staff working in UK higher education confirmed that talks via the conciliation service Acas will continue into next week.

The joint unions have continued to push employers, represented by the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), on the issues of pay, workload, casualisation and equality pay gaps

Some progress has been made in establishing agreed terms of reference for negotiations on reviewing the higher education pay scales

Talks via Acas will continue into next week on the terms of reference for negotiations on workload, contract types and equality pay gaps.

However, the unions are disappointed that UCEA has moved to instruct its members to impose the first element of the 2023/24 pay proposal. This is despite nothing yet having been agreed on pay. The unions will continue to make that clear in negotiations

The joint unions view UCEA’s pay advice to higher education employers as regrettable, given the strain it inevitably places on the current Acas-facilitated negotiations.

Joint statement signed by UCEA and unions:

Following constructive talks between UCEA and the Joint HE Trade Unions on Thursday 23 February, facilitated by Acas, some progress has been made towards establishing agreed terms of reference for negotiations on the review of the national HE pay spine. Talks, through Acas, will continue next week on the terms of reference for negotiations on the pay spine and on workload, contract types and pay gaps.     

The article Joint union statement: Acas higher education talks first appeared on the UNISON National site.

University strikes called off as pay talks are set to continue

Strikes due to take place over the next two weeks involving university support staff belonging to UNISON have been called off today (Friday) following talks at conciliation service ACAS.

Five unions – UNISON, UCU, GMB, Unite and EIS – issued a joint statement with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), which will see the strikes over pay suspended.

This follows an agreement from the employers to give more money to the lowest paid in higher education and undertake a thorough review of the salary grades of all staff.

Both sides have agreed to further talks to discuss the grading issue, as well as other concerns including zero-hours contracts.

Commenting on the breakthrough, UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “Improving the wages of the lowest paid university employees is a crucial step. Cleaners, domestic staff and others at the bottom of the pay scales have been in dire need of help.

“The pay structure in the sector has been unfit for purpose for years, with far too many staff earning just the minimum wage with little chance to progress in their careers.

“The fact that talks are to continue is a positive move. It’s vital that progress is made in improving the wages of everyone working in higher education.

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article University strikes called off as pay talks are set to continue first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Thousands of university workers strike again over wages

Higher education staff are walking out over the coming days in a third wave of strikes over inadequate pay, says UNISON today (Thursday).

Administrators, cleaners, library, security and catering workers – many of them the lowest paid in the? university sector – are among those taking industrial action.

Universities including those in Edinburgh, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester will be affected, says UNISON. Staff at the Glasgow School of Art have also announced strike dates.

The employees ?are asking for a proper ?pay rise ?to help them cope with soaring ?prices. This follows several years ?where wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, UNISON says.

For most of the 17 institutions affected, it’s the third wave of industrial action this academic year. Strikes have already taken place in September, October and November.

The ?dispute is over the 3% pay offer* made by the Universities and Colleges Employers Association ?(UCEA) last May. This was rejected by university support staff but paid to most of them in August.

With the lowest measure of inflation still in double digits, says the union, the rise in living costs is more than three times greater than the ?workers’ pay increase. The 3% amounts to a substantial cut, leaving staff out of pocket and struggling, UNISON adds.

The union is also currently asking university staff for their views on the latest pay offer from the employers, which is for the academic year that begins in August. This ranges from 5% to 8% depending on someone’s salary. The consultation closes this week.

The union’s pay claim for 2023/2024 is for a flat-rate rise of £4,000 – or an increase that matches the highest measure of inflation plus 2%.

UCEA has proposed bringing forward part of next year’s pay increase for higher education staff so that it’s paid from February. But UNISON says this still won’t make up for next year’s offer because it’s so far below inflation.

UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “University workers don’t want to keep going on strike. But they’ve been left massively out of pocket and have no other option.

“Year upon year of below-inflation pay rises and soaring costs mean employees are leaving the sector for better wages elsewhere.

“Not only are staff struggling but students feel the effects when universities are short-staffed. These strikes could be averted if university employers did the decent thing and came back with a fair offer.”

Notes to editors:
– *Some staff on lower grades got up to 9%.
– Strikes are due to take place at:

  • Arts University Bournemouth: 23 February, 1 March, 25 April
  • Birkbeck, University of London: 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 February
  • City, University of London: 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 February
  • Glasgow Caledonian University:  9, 10 February
  • The Glasgow School of Art: 16, 21, 22 February
  • Leeds Beckett University: 9, 10 February
  • Liverpool Hope University: 16 February
  • London South Bank University: 21, 22 February
  • Manchester Metropolitan University: (took strike action earier this week)
  • Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh: 21, 22, 23 February
  • School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London: 9, 10, 21 February
  • University of Brighton: 16, 17, 20, 21 February
  • University of Bristol: 16, 17, 22 February
  • University of Gloucestershire: 14, 15, 16 February
  • University of Leeds: 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23, 24 February
  • University of the West of England: 14, 15, 16 February
  • University of Winchester: 21, 22, 23 February

– Other unions are currently also taking strike action in the higher education sector including the University and College Union, Unite and EIS.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Thousands of university workers strike again over wages first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Higher education members vote to reject pay offer

UNISON has given notification of a formal dispute with the higher education employer, the University and Colleges Employers Association, after a consultative ballot of members showed that 83% of members across the UK reject the 3% pay offer and wish to move forward into an industrial action ballot.

The national turnout was 36.2%, but 11 branches had a turnout of over 50%, with 17 others managing between 40 and 50%.

The next steps will see branches have the opportunity to opt out of an industrial action ballot, with that ballot opening on 22 July. It will close for Scotland on 19 August and for England and Wales on 26 August, with potential industrial action in Scotland from 9 September and in England and Wales, from 19 September at the start of university term during student welcome weeks.

The union believes that the results of the consultative ballot reflects the widespread worry and anger of relatively low-paid members who are struggling in the face of rising bills.

Pay rises in higher education over the last 13 years have all been below inflation, so the purchasing power of members’ earnings has fallen over that period, and the current cost of living crisis has brought this to a head.

• Members at the University of Leeds will be out on strike again from 20-24 June as part of our continuing national dispute over last year’s national pay rise, which was only 1.5%.

The article Higher education members vote to reject pay offer first appeared on the UNISON National site.