STAFF in UK universities are out on strike today for a full day in opposition to an ‘insulting’ 1% pay rise offer.
The UCU, Unison, Unite and Scottish teachers union EIS will be taking part in the joint action.
Sally Hunt UCU General Secretary speaking ahead of the strike said: ‘Last week saw the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) briefing the press once again that most staff have received 3-4% increases a year since 2009, including incremental pay.
‘Yet, as the employers have previously told us in negotiations some 60% of staff receive no increments at all.
‘In fact, if one looks at the figures from the Office of National Statistics, average pay for full time academic staff increased by just 0.3% in 2013, 0.6% in 2012 and actually fell by 1% in 2011.
‘My hope is that UCEA will stop spinning and finally now agree to address themselves to the union’s claim before it is too late.’
She continued: ‘We are meeting the National Union of Students (NUS) to discuss the deteriorating situation and I will thank them for their continuing support for a “fair and sustainable settlement” for staff.’
Unison National Secretary for education and children’s services Jon Richards said: ‘Universities are keen to proclaim their success and line the pockets of Vice Chancellors and their cronies with inflation busting rises as a reward.
‘Yet thousands of HE staff earn below the Living Wage – workers who even the Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledges are the “working poor”.
‘Staff will not lie down and accept the crumbs off the high table.’
Unite national officer for education Mike McCartney said: ‘Our members have endured a six-year pay drought which has seen a 13 per cent cut in pay in real terms since 2008.
‘In the context of the cost of living crisis, the current one per cent on offer is paltry. This also has to be seen against the background of the top university vice chancellors having an average £22,000 pay rise in 2012-13.
‘There is a strong stench of hypocrisy with the university bosses saying: “Do as we say, not as we do”.
‘This will be the third day of strike action our members have taken and more industrial action is on the cards in 2014, unless the employers get around the table to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement for those that keep Britain in the top 10 global university league table.’
