HE negotiations 2024-25

Updates

10 July 2024

UCU held a branch delegate meeting (BDM) on Tuesday 2 July to feed back members' views to inform the deliberation of the UCU higher education committee (HEC) who met on Friday 5 July to consider the offer from UCEA. You can find the results of the BDM here.

On Friday 5 July, HEC voted to reject the current offer and trigger dispute resolution meetings in order to improve upon the offer. HEC also resolved to build a campaign for industrial action to win on pay, workload, casualisation and equality.

UCU will now look to enter the dispute resolution process with the employers' representatives. Click here for the full update from UCU general secretary Jo Grady.

4 July 2024

The employers' association UCEA sent UCU its 'full and final offer for the 2024-25 New JNCHES pay round' yesterday, 3 July 2024. 

UCU's higher education committee meets on Friday 5 July 2024 to consider the offer and a further update will be provided.

7 June 2024

UCU's HE pay negotiators, alongside the other HE unions, have been meeting with the employers' association UCEA over the past few weeks to try and reach agreement on the 2024-25 pay settlement, however no final offer has yet been made. UCU's Higher Education Committee will be meeting on 10 June to discuss the latest proposals and next steps will be determined after further consultation with the other unions.

17 May 2024

Ahead of further talks with the employers, a Special HE Sector Conference today voted that the higher education committee should develop an industrial action strategy for the 2024-25 academic year: Higher education pay and working conditions negotiations update

15 April 2024

Click here for the full 2024-25 claim that has been submitted by the five HE trade unions (UNISON, Unite, EIS, GMB and UCU).  

22 March 2024

The higher education joint trade union claim for 2024-25 has been agreed by the five HE trade unions (UNISON, Unite, EIS, GMB and UCU); see below for the heads of claim. For additional context please read this update for HE members.

Heads of claim

We are seeking the restoration of our members' lost pay. Below inflation pay rises over the past decade have resulted in members' losing up to 30% of the value of their pay.

• We demand:
  • an increase on all pay points of at least RPI + 2% or a flat rate of at least £2,500 (whichever is greater) and a commitment to restore lost pay.
  • Equivalent rises to London Weighting and any other allowances
  • A new minimum pay rate of £15 an hour.
  • All institutions to become Foundation Living Wage employers and pay points below the FLW to be deleted.
  • UCEA should commit to a comprehensive reform of the pay spine.

• On the pay-related elements from 2023-24: progression and resolution of those issues covered by the terms of reference, including joint agreements on workload, contract types, pay spine reform, and agreeing specific actions to tackle the gender, disability and ethnicity pay gaps to be implemented at institutional level, and implementation of actions that arise from that work.

• Joint reference to the New JNCHES Pension Forum of issues arising from gender inequalities in pension contributions

• Negotiations to agree specific actions to move all staff onto a 35-hour week, with no loss in pay, to be implemented at institutional level

• A national Green New Deal Agreement on a Just Transition for the sector which will include a Just Transition Commission in Higher Education

• UCEA to commit to the protection of national agreements relating to terms and conditions of employment including the Post-92 national contract and HE2000.

• To establish the Scottish sub-committee of New JNCHES as set out under the New JNCHES agreement.

Institutions/branches involved

Click here for a list of institutions/UCU branches that are included in the Joint National Committee for Higher Education Staff (JNCHES) for 2024-25.