Public sector pay award shows university bosses must move on pay

UCU is currently boycotting marking at UK universities in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Employer body the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has so far refused to make an improved pay offer. UCU will meet with UCEA for the first time since the marking boycott began tomorrow. 

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'After unprecedented industrial unrest, Rishi Sunak has today been forced to honour pay review body recommendations. This makes UCEA's position on pay untenable, when it meets with us tomorrow it needs to get realistic. Universities have billions in reserves and can afford to pay staff properly, instead vice-chancellors are choosing to make students and staff suffer.  

'UCEA's refusal to settle this dispute means staff are getting their pay docked, international students are losing visas, and thousands upon thousands of students cannot graduate. 

'UCEA needs to make us an improved offer, stop the pay docking and settle the dispute.'