University staff pay offer falls well short of fair

UCU said that, as well as properly addressing pay cuts, the employers had more to do in other important areas such as the gender pay gap, zero hours contracts and increasing workloads.

UCU head of higher education, Michael MacNeil, said: 'It is disappointing that the marginally improved offer does not sufficiently address four years of pay cuts or the widespread and increasing use of precarious zero hours contracts in higher education.

'UCU members are under pressure from employers to improve the student experience, yet at the same time their pay is restrained and their living standards continue to fall.'

The two sides are due to meet again on Tuesday 21 May.

* UCU, Unison, Unite, GMB and EIS.