Category: universities

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.

Higher education pay dispute enters new talks

UNISON has welcomed the decision by university employers to enter negotiations to resolve disruptive strike action currently affecting 150 universities. 

UNISON and the four other higher education unions (UCU, EIS, GMB and Unite) and employer representative the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), have agreed to further talks mediated by the conciliation service Acas. 

The talks will begin on Monday 13 February.  

Acas mediated talks are intended to address the issues in dispute, which include pay, equality, job insecurity and workloads.  

The current industrial action has not been postponed. 

Senior national officer for higher education Ruth Smith said: “We are pleased the employers have agreed to enter the Acas process in order to try and resolve our dispute.

“The union has been clear, we need an offer that addresses the hardship that the current cost of living crisis has caused for our members, who are amongst the lowest paid workers in universities.

“We haven’t had that yet. The sector has more than enough money to pay and treat people fairly, and employers have the power to do so.

“Our members led the way in this dispute by going out on strike at the start of the academic year in September 2022, and are still out this week and next.

“Members don’t want to take strike action, but they have be left with no option. We hope that these new talks at Acas can help convince the employers to do the right thing and make a decent pay offer.”

UNISON members are currently out on strike in the following places:

  • Birkbeck (University of London): 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 February
  • City University (University of London): 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 February
  • Glasgow Caledonian University: 6 (all members), 7, 8, 9, 10 February (rest of week selected job titles: Security Officers, Security Supervisors, Domestic Supervisors, Domestic Assistants)
  • Glasgow School of Art: 16, 21, 22 February
  • Leeds Beckett University: 8, 9, 10 February
  • Liverpool Hope University: 16 February
  • London South Bank University: 21, 22 February
  • Manchester Met University: 6, 7, 8 February
  • Queen Margaret University: 21, 22, 23 February
  • School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London): 1, 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: 8, 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

 

The article Higher education pay dispute enters new talks first appeared on the UNISON National site.

University staff to strike over pay as new term begins

Thousands of university staff including administrators, cleaners, library, security and catering employees are to walk out in a wave of strikes that will hit universities from today (Tuesday), says UNISON.

Universities will be disrupted across England and Scotland as employees push for a fair pay rise that takes account of soaring cost of living pressures and years of below-inflation awards, says the union.

The workers, among the lowest paid in the higher education sector, took the difficult decision to strike after rejecting a 3% pay award from the University and Colleges Employers Association in May, the union says.

Staff are asking for a wage increase of 2% above inflation, the lowest measure for which is currently 9.8%.

Universities in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Winchester are affected, says UNISON.

UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “Staff have reached breaking point and have little choice but to strike.

“For years they’ve watched wages slip further behind living costs. Now huge price increases threaten to push many over the edge.

“Staff want to work in higher education. But if their highly paid university bosses don’t award them a fair pay increase, many are likely to head off for better paid jobs in other parts of the economy.”

Notes to editors:
– Strikes are due to take place at:
Birkbeck (University of London) 4 October
Edinburgh Napier University 20, 21 September and 3, 4 October
Glasgow Caledonian University 3, 4 October
Kings College London 27, 28, 29 September
Leeds Beckett University 3, 4, 6 October
Liverpool Hope University 4, 11, 13 October
Liverpool John Moores University 26 September and 4, 11 October
London South Bank University 4, 5 October
Manchester Metropolitan University 4, 5 October
Robert Gordon University 20, 21 September and 3, 4 October
School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) 26, 27 September and 4 October
University of Glasgow 20, 21 September and 3, 4 October
University of Bristol 26, 27, 28 September
University of Leeds 28, 29, 30 September and 3, 4, 8 October
University of the West of England 20 September
University of Winchester 20, 21 September.
– The 3% increase is for all staff earning £25,627 and above a year. Staff earning less than this were given a slightly higher percentage, on a sliding scale, with those earning £17,338 receiving a £1,560 rise and those earning £24,871 a £771 increase.
– 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:
Garfield Myrie M: 07950 116356 E: g.myrie@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article University staff to strike over pay as new term begins first appeared on the UNISON National site.

University staff reject below-inflation pay offer and vote on strike action

Thousands of university workers including administrators, cleaners, security and catering staff will vote today (Friday) on whether to strike over pay, says UNISON.

Employees overwhelmingly rejected a 3% pay offer from the University and Colleges Employers Association in May.

More than four in five (83%) workers turned down the increase that does little to help with the crushing cost-of-living pressures staff face, says UNISON.

The union says employers refused to increase their offer despite UNISON negotiators making the case for a rise of 2% above inflation (which is currently 11.8) after a decade of pay freezes and real-terms pay cuts.

Staff struggling to make ends meet as prices continue to soar and have been left with no option but to consider striking, the union adds.

More than 20,000 workers across 93 universities will be balloted, says UNISON. Other education unions, including the University and College Union, have also rejected the 3% offer and are expected to ballot staff on strike action, the union adds.

UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “University staff have endured years of wage stagnation. With prices going through the roof and inflation at an all-time high a 3% pay offer is a significant pay cut.

“No worker wants to go out on strike, but staff can’t afford to feed their kids, pay for housing or fill up their petrol tanks. They are desperate for a wage increase that reflects the work they do to keep universities going and to make up for years of poverty pay.

“Employers must invest in staff or they’ll leave the sector for better paid, less stressful jobs in retail or hospitality.”

Notes to editors:
– The strike ballot opens on the 22 July and closes on 19 August in Scotland and on 26 August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
– The retail prices index rate of inflation is currently 11.8%.
– 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.

 

The article University staff reject below-inflation pay offer and vote on strike action first appeared on the UNISON National site.