26 April 2022
Further meaningful moves in penultimate meeting of the 2022-23 pay round
UCEA and the HE trade unions met yesterday (25 April 2022) as New JNCHES for the penultimate meeting of HE pay negotiating round for 2022-23*. On behalf of more than 350,000 valued staff across 145 HE institutions the representatives discussed and negotiated the full joint claim alongside the employers’ statement and offer at this meeting**.
UCEA, having fulfilled the employers’ commitment to providing an offer prior to this second negotiation meeting, raised both pay and non-pay elements and made more meaningful moves by expanding our pay offer still further. Employers recognised the trade unions’ concerns, from the effect of high inflation, which falls disproportionately on the lower paid, and a need to review the pay spine compression, together with pay rates at the lower end of the spine.
The employers’ offer had been an uplift of up to 6% for those on the lowest points of the pay spine, with a minimum uplift of 2.75% for all those on or above Spinal Column Point 20. This offer would have been worth 2.9% on the total paybill. However, yesterday’s meeting ended with UCEA making a further offer which would increase the total paybill by approximately 3.05%. Central to this is UCEA exploring modelling options to ease the current compression of the pay spine, aiming to adjust or remove pay points, if possible, within the paybill uplift.
The offer recognised inflationary pressures on the lower paid but is also extremely close to the limits of affordability across the sector and UCEA acknowledges that it will stretch finances for some HE institutions.
The trade unions were clear that the matter of pay was central to the negotiations and hence pay was the focus of discussions yesterday with not much time being spent on the other elements of the joint trade unions’ claim.
The employers emphasised how HE institutions face unprecedented financial challenges: ever increasing expenditure with income that is not keeping pace. The many known financial challenges include the fee cap freeze, National Insurance increases and the increases in employers’ pension contributions. Despite this, UCEA’s offer is further evidence that member HE institutions are committed to rewarding and developing staff.
While the core remit of New JNCHES negotiations is to determine the uplift to the HE pay spine, the trade unions’ detailed claim included many items unrelated to pay and several that are outside of the scope of New JNCHES. The employers’ representatives explained the priorities and constraints in the negotiations, acknowledging that while some of the items sat outside of the parameters of the negotiation, a number of the items are important areas where UCEA could provide thought leadership and support to the sector. UCEA’s offer outlines proposals for doing so.
Raj Jethwa, UCEA’s Chief Executive said:
“The employers are committed to arriving at the best possible outcome and it was important we discussed the many elements of the trade unions’ claim. There is a joint concern relating to inflationary costs, with acknowledgement that inflation disproportionately affects lower paid staff, and this is reflected in UCEA’s offer. However, these ongoing inflationary pressures have severe impacts on HE institutions, regardless of the varying financial picture across the sector. Employers have been willing to look beyond recent disputes and difficulties within some of the trade unions to continue this year’s talks in good faith. We ask that the trade unions consult their members in carefully considering these positive moves towards a settlement. We very much hope to conclude the negotiations on 5 May.”
* The negotiating meetings for the 2022-23 are: 30 March, 25 April and 5 May 2022
** The claim, the employers’ statement and the offer are available at www.ucea.ac.uk/our-work/collective-pay-negotiations-landing/2022-23-new-jnches-pay-round/
The trade unions’ headline pay claim is for ‘a pay uplift that is, at least, inflation (RPI) plus 2%, on all pay points’.
RPI for March 2022 was 9%
Notes
JNCHES - Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff.
The five HE trade unions are EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite.
ENDS
For further information: Please contact Andy Fryer, Head of Communications and Membership (a.fryer@ucea.ac.uk) or Marc Whittaker, Communications and Events Manager (m.whittaker@ucea.ac.uk)
Further meaningful moves in penultimate meeting of the 2022-23 pay round
UCEA and the HE trade unions met yesterday (25 April 2022) as New JNCHES for the penultimate meeting of HE pay negotiating round for 2022-23*. On behalf of more than 350,000 valued staff across 145 HE institutions the representatives discussed and negotiated the full joint claim alongside the employers’ statement and offer at this meeting**.
UCEA, having fulfilled the employers’ commitment to providing an offer prior to this second negotiation meeting, raised both pay and non-pay elements and made more meaningful moves by expanding our pay offer still further. Employers recognised the trade unions’ concerns, from the effect of high inflation, which falls disproportionately on the lower paid, and a need to review the pay spine compression, together with pay rates at the lower end of the spine.
The employers’ offer had been an uplift of up to 6% for those on the lowest points of the pay spine, with a minimum uplift of 2.75% for all those on or above Spinal Column Point 20. This offer would have been worth 2.9% on the total paybill. However, yesterday’s meeting ended with UCEA making a further offer which would increase the total paybill by approximately 3.05%. Central to this is UCEA exploring modelling options to ease the current compression of the pay spine, aiming to adjust or remove pay points, if possible, within the paybill uplift.
The offer recognised inflationary pressures on the lower paid but is also extremely close to the limits of affordability across the sector and UCEA acknowledges that it will stretch finances for some HE institutions.
The trade unions were clear that the matter of pay was central to the negotiations and hence pay was the focus of discussions yesterday with not much time being spent on the other elements of the joint trade unions’ claim.
The employers emphasised how HE institutions face unprecedented financial challenges: ever increasing expenditure with income that is not keeping pace. The many known financial challenges include the fee cap freeze, National Insurance increases and the increases in employers’ pension contributions. Despite this, UCEA’s offer is further evidence that member HE institutions are committed to rewarding and developing staff.
While the core remit of New JNCHES negotiations is to determine the uplift to the HE pay spine, the trade unions’ detailed claim included many items unrelated to pay and several that are outside of the scope of New JNCHES. The employers’ representatives explained the priorities and constraints in the negotiations, acknowledging that while some of the items sat outside of the parameters of the negotiation, a number of the items are important areas where UCEA could provide thought leadership and support to the sector. UCEA’s offer outlines proposals for doing so.
Raj Jethwa, UCEA’s Chief Executive said:
“The employers are committed to arriving at the best possible outcome and it was important we discussed the many elements of the trade unions’ claim. There is a joint concern relating to inflationary costs, with acknowledgement that inflation disproportionately affects lower paid staff, and this is reflected in UCEA’s offer. However, these ongoing inflationary pressures have severe impacts on HE institutions, regardless of the varying financial picture across the sector. Employers have been willing to look beyond recent disputes and difficulties within some of the trade unions to continue this year’s talks in good faith. We ask that the trade unions consult their members in carefully considering these positive moves towards a settlement. We very much hope to conclude the negotiations on 5 May.”
* The negotiating meetings for the 2022-23 are: 30 March, 25 April and 5 May 2022
** The claim, the employers’ statement and the offer are available at www.ucea.ac.uk/our-work/collective-pay-negotiations-landing/2022-23-new-jnches-pay-round/
The trade unions’ headline pay claim is for ‘a pay uplift that is, at least, inflation (RPI) plus 2%, on all pay points’.
RPI for March 2022 was 9%
Notes
JNCHES - Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff.
The five HE trade unions are EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite.
ENDS
For further information: Please contact Andy Fryer, Head of Communications and Membership (a.fryer@ucea.ac.uk) or Marc Whittaker, Communications and Events Manager (m.whittaker@ucea.ac.uk)
