Unite-The Union

Unite HE reps attended a demonstration on the low pay offer for 2011 outside the UCEA offices in London on Wed 8th Feb

• UCEA  offered 0.5% in 2009, 0.4% in 2010 and 0.5% in 2011 a total of 1.4%
• The inflation rate over the same period was over 12.6%.
• Salaries depreciated in real terms by over 11% to 2011.

In many Universities pay increases were far higher for those above the 51 point pay spine. Some were well over 10% and in some institutions above 15%. This spike in above pay spine staff has not gone unnoticed. The Times Higher has carried out research into Vice Chancellor and senior staffs pay over a similar period 2009 – 2011, this has shown a higher rate of increase.

As the Telegraph reported in 2010, the increase in salaries for a selection of VC’s were as example, Wendy Purcell, Plymouth – 20% (£283,504) Chris Jenks, Brunel – 18% (£280,000) Andrew Hamilton, Oxford – 17% (£382,000) Shirley Pearce, Loughborough – 15% (£275,365) Noel Lloyd, Aberystwyth – 13% (£208,000).

Clearly we are not all in this together.

Fact Sheet 5

17 New timetable for auto-enrolment of pensions Huge cost of workers’ shrinking wage pool

18 Presenteeism at work on rise

19 Sixty years of work, dole and stress in UK Adult apprenticeships are good value

20 Privatisation rejected in Scotland’s capital Unemployment rate in Europe rises

Fact Sheet No 1:

• New workplace-related benefit levels announced
• Employees unhappy over pay Public sector pensions
• Government u-turns on tax relief for taxis Employment restrictions extended
• Private sector pensions Attack on health and safety challenged

Fact Sheet No 2:

• Unpaid overtime
• Action pledged by PM on pay? Balance of payments
• End of an era with Shell pension closure PFI — more to do over cost concerns
• Skill shortages only part of the problem Regional pay

Fact Sheet No3:

• Shameful map of poverty in the UK Inflation on downward path for 2012?
• What’s in store for the economy in 2012? Average earnings growth down again
• Unemployment in UK rises ever higher
• Unemployment continued

Fact Sheet No 4:

• Union reps add value to British economy
• No movement in pay settlements end 2011Fudge on executive pay
• Disgrace as blacklisted worker loses case Work programme slated
• Bad news for economy Benefit cap based on myths, says campaign

Letter to Jocelyn Prudence, UCEA Chief Executive

Unite Press Release. 25 January, 2012

Unite university staff work-to-rule over ‘lousy’ pay offer

University staff, members of Unite, are working-to-rule in protest at the ‘lousy’ pay offer of £150.

Unite represents 20,000 staff – from professors to porters – at Britain’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) – and is the only union to have rejected the derisory offer of £150-a-year for all grades to run from 1 August last year for 2011/12.

Unite national officer for education, Mike Robinson said: ‘Our members voted for industrial action, short of strike action, over this lousy deal at the end of last year – and are sticking to the letter of their contracts with no working outside their contractual hours.’

‘Our members have withdrawn the goodwill and flexibility that is so vital for the running of an academic institution.’

‘The HEIs – represented by the Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association (UCEA) – can well afford to be more generous at a time of soaring household bills for working people. For example, Imperial College, London has given its staff £500-a-year more on all scales.’

‘Unite will be boycotting future meetings with the UCEA and will be asking Shabana Mahmood, the shadow business minister not to attend a HEI strategic conference.’

In a letter to UCEA Chief Executive, Jocelyn Prudence, Mike Robinson said: ‘Unite members will also be asked to raise the profile of the low offer on pay for 2011 in their own HEIs, as publically as possible.’

Heads of elite universities’ earnings exceed £333,000 on average, despite squeeze on institutions’ overall budgets. Read the full article in the Guardian

What about Stirling? See the list here

Other articles:

Vice-chancellors ‘receive up to £40,000 in benefits’

University head’s ‘salaries soar’

Cable attacks vice-chancellors over pay; Business secretary says university heads have little sense of ‘self-sacrifice’ needed

UNITE BRIEFING
THE FACTS ABOUT TRADE UNION FACILITY TIME – EXPOSING ANOTHER TORY ATTACK

In This Issue:

• Unpaid overtime
• End of an era with Shell pension closure PFI — more to do over cost concerns
• Action pledged by PM on pay? Balance of payments
• Skill shortages only part of the problem Regional pay

PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONS UPDATE: Download the latest update from Unite regarding Public Service Pensions.

Mike Robinson has issued a letter updating members on the current pay offer and ongoing dispute. Read it here.

Last week all Unite members in Higher Eduction were balloted on industrial action with regard to the current pay offer. The results have now been published.

Please also see this letter from Mike Robinson – National Officer for further information as to what this means.