Employers offer another real-terms pay cut at HE pay negotiations

UCEA tabled a slightly improved offer of:

• a £150 increase to all pay points, which UCEA says represents an increase of 0.5% of the pay bill
• an increase in London weighting allowance in post-92 institutions of 0.5%.

The employers said that this was their full and final offer.

The unions expressed great disappointment at the offer and said it falls well short of the pay expectations of members. They added that the offer represented a third year of insignificant, below inflation increases in higher education and would further erode the standards of living of staff.

The unions agreed to undertake further consultation on the offer. However, none of the union negotiating teams agreed to recommend acceptance of the offer.  There are no current plans for any further negotiations to take place.

UCU head of higher education, Michael MacNeil, said: 'Yet again the employers have offered our members a real-terms pay cut. At a time when the cost of living is rocketing, to offer £150 across the board is simply storing up trouble for the future. We will be consulting with members over the offer before deciding on a course of action.'