Dear Colleague

 

2011 Pay Dispute

 

This is an update of matters following the Unite HE industrial action ballot result for action short of strike declared in November 2011.

 

Since that result was announced the Unite New JNCHES negotiators took part in a dispute level meeting with UCEA in December at ACAS to try and resolve the dispute.

 

This meeting took place on the 15th December under ACAS auspices and assisted by Peter Harwood Senior ACAS Conciliator. Attending for Unite was Tony Britton University of East London who is a New JNCHES negotiator, Haydn Morris University of Lancaster, Chair of the Unite National Education Industry Committee and Mike Robinson National Officer Unite.

 

Both parties outlined their positions with UCEA explaining that their offer of £150 applied to scales had been set by their subscribers. They were unable to go beyond the figure. There was a proposal from

UCEA to do some further work on low pay to better inform negotiators as well as a firm commitment to

set up a Training and Development Forum to exchange ideas about developing staff training and apprentices in higher education.

 

Both of these additional proposals had been offered before and UCEA were advised by Unite

negotiators there was not enough to resolve the dispute that existed. Unite advised UCEA that

some HEI's had offered additional supplementary payments in 2011. Unite would be instructing local negotiators to see if their own HEI was prepared to offer a supplementary payment.

 

Unite negotiators also felt that local HEI's had set the original settlement figure too low and it failed to

take into account high inflation. Negotiators advised Unite would be instructing its local negotiators to seek a meeting with their local HEI about a settlement figure for 2012 that needed to be substantially

higher to ensure salaries kept pace with inflation especially for low paid staff who suffer a double

whammy of higher food and fuel inflation as a proportion of wages.

 

At the ACAS meeting UCEA were asking Unite for consent to pay the £150 in January pay packets.

The Unite negotiators agreed to take this request back to the Unite national committee but felt £150

was a poor offer.

 

On 4th January 2012 Unite national committee members considered the request to allow UCEA to affirm the £150 pay award should be paid. The national committee considered the matter but did not think £150 was acceptable and rejected the request.

 

Following that decision which was conveyed to UCEA, UCEA then wrote to HEI subscribers advising

that if they wish to pay the £150 into January salaries then it was their choice. Some have now done

that.

 

In effect this is the imposition of £150 on to scales for all Unite staff. Some other unions although they

have voted to accept have not settled the 2011 claim either.

 

Currently Unite remains in dispute on pay.  A meeting of the Unite national committee takes place

on the 13th January to decide its next position.

 

In the meantime please will you approach your local management on two points

 

1         That some HEI's have made a supplementary payment as much as £400 one off payment to staff

            on the 51 point pay scales. Will your HEI do likewise?

 

2          Please impress upon your own HEI that if they give UCEA a low mandate on pay increases for

            2012 they will again face opposition. Advise them pay in higher education is likely to fall for the

            4th year running if they do not meet a high inflation rate. In the view of Unite restricting UCEA on

            its pay negotiations will end in further disruption for 2012 and beyond.  Like all unions Unite

            wishes to amicably resolve pay negotiations in a reasonable time period and offer the sector
  stability but it cannot do that if HEI's apply unreasonable settlement rates well below inflation.
  Also there is the catch up of previous below inflation to be considered at a future point.

 

Finally low pay below living wage levels needs to be addressed in the sector. Please press your HEI to

give UCEA a mandate to resolve low pay to living wage levels.

 

I attach the relevant Unite & UCEA correspondence on the matter. Please feel free to distribute to

members.

 

Yours sincerely

 Mike Robinson

 National Officer

­ Education

 

Back to homepage