UCU says national bargaining key to protecting staff

UCU joint general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'National bargaining remains the best way to protect staff. Divide and rule was the modus operandi of the employers when dealing with AUT and NATFHE. Now we have become one union, it appears they may be exploring new ways to continue that approach.

'UCU wants more effective national bargaining not less. Higher education needs a sector-wide system that provides stability and fairness in terms of pay and grading for academic and related staff, not a free for all which benefits no one. We will argue this case strongly as part of the forthcoming review of the JNCHES machinery.

'Our aspiration is a levelling up to the best conditions available in the sector not the lowest common denominator. The first way to do this is for UCEA to encourage institutions still to implement the pay framework and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to do it now before they fall further behind those who have.'