26 October 2021
UCEA expresses dismay with UCU’s false assertions
Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive of UCEA, said:
“It is very disappointing that UCU continues to encourage its members to cause disruption for students through potentially damaging industrial action. We are dismayed that UCU is encouraging its members to ballot for action which is specifically designed to disrupt teaching and learning for students who have endured so many recent upheavals by making false assertions. The 2021-22 pay uplift of a minimum of 1.5% was significantly above the CPIH rate of inflation when it was tabled in May 2021*. UCU’s ballot is taking place six months after that offer was tabled and three months after staff had that pay uplift in their pay packets. It is disheartening that UCU did not allow their members, representing a minority of employees, the chance to accept or refuse the offer on pay, equality, contracts and workload, at any stage in recent months.
“We are deeply concerned at UCU’s unfounded accusation that HE employers are breaking the law by not paying the National Living Wage, as all the pay points on the national pay spine exceed this. Regarding annual pay uplifts, the time period that UCU refers to saw the 2008 economic crash, a period of austerity and most recently the hit to the economy by the pandemic during which most UK workers have seen a fall in the value of their pay. In recent years the pay uplifts awarded via the JNCHES bargaining arrangements have met the official CPIH inflation rate* and in addition many staff have also seen an annual incremental rise of 3%.”
Notes
*The 2021-22 pay uplift of a minimum of 1.5% was significantly above the CPIH rate of inflation when it was tabled in May 2021 (see - HE employers make fair and sustainable final pay offer)
**See HE employers match or exceed inflation for all staff with final offer. Since March 2017 the government’s official measure has been CPIH. Unlike CPI, it takes into account owner-occupiers' housing costs and council tax. The switch from CPI to CPIH was a result of a review of inflation measures by Paul Johnson from the IFS www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39328173
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).
UCEA expresses dismay with UCU’s false assertions
Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive of UCEA, said:
“It is very disappointing that UCU continues to encourage its members to cause disruption for students through potentially damaging industrial action. We are dismayed that UCU is encouraging its members to ballot for action which is specifically designed to disrupt teaching and learning for students who have endured so many recent upheavals by making false assertions. The 2021-22 pay uplift of a minimum of 1.5% was significantly above the CPIH rate of inflation when it was tabled in May 2021*. UCU’s ballot is taking place six months after that offer was tabled and three months after staff had that pay uplift in their pay packets. It is disheartening that UCU did not allow their members, representing a minority of employees, the chance to accept or refuse the offer on pay, equality, contracts and workload, at any stage in recent months.
“We are deeply concerned at UCU’s unfounded accusation that HE employers are breaking the law by not paying the National Living Wage, as all the pay points on the national pay spine exceed this. Regarding annual pay uplifts, the time period that UCU refers to saw the 2008 economic crash, a period of austerity and most recently the hit to the economy by the pandemic during which most UK workers have seen a fall in the value of their pay. In recent years the pay uplifts awarded via the JNCHES bargaining arrangements have met the official CPIH inflation rate* and in addition many staff have also seen an annual incremental rise of 3%.”
Notes
*The 2021-22 pay uplift of a minimum of 1.5% was significantly above the CPIH rate of inflation when it was tabled in May 2021 (see - HE employers make fair and sustainable final pay offer)
**See HE employers match or exceed inflation for all staff with final offer. Since March 2017 the government’s official measure has been CPIH. Unlike CPI, it takes into account owner-occupiers' housing costs and council tax. The switch from CPI to CPIH was a result of a review of inflation measures by Paul Johnson from the IFS www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39328173
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).