4 March 2022
UCU’s HEC tries to force members into further IA over last year's pay outcome
HE institutions expressed widespread dismay and disappointment following the UCU’s Higher Education Committee (HEC) decision to force their members into further IA and another reballot, now aimed at disrupting students’ studies as the exam period approaches. UCU’s HEC decided last Friday, without consulting their individual members, to try to inflict further IA at targeted institutions while also reballoting all 146 HE institutions who took part in last year’s pay round on a disaggregated basis.
The move to reballot is a repetition of the HEC’s October call for IA ballot over the 2021-22 pay outcome, resulting in low turnouts and patchy ballot results, with only 54 HE institutions opting for IA from their 146 separate ballots*. UCU has already re-balloted 38 HEIs in January, with success in only 9 of these. This would be a third ballot attempt on a pay offer made ten months ago.
Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive of UCEA, said:
“Although the disruption caused by UCU’s industrial action has been minimal, every missed opportunity for students is unfortunate. That is why the sector is extremely disappointed that UCU’s HEC is trying to reignite yet another bout of strike action. Those HE institutions targeted in recent attempts at strike action did their best to protect students. There is also concern about the impact on the small numbers** of staff at the minority of HE institutions taking action because they are being led unfairly by their union, and they are losing pay over IA conducted by the HEC’s blinkered approach. UCU’s HEC cannot keep encouraging its members to target students who have endured so many recent disruptions.
“UCU members need to know that since Friday’s HEC outcome UCU*** has already provided their joint Heads of Claim for the 2022-23 year to the employer representatives. The claim includes a range of items, new and old. It is surely time for UCU to reassess and allow its representatives to engage constructively in this year’s (2022-23) multi-employer negotiating round which begins this month.”
Notes
* www.ucea.ac.uk/news-releases/5nov21/
** A joint claim made by EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite. The full claim will be issued before the 2022-23 New JNCHES negotiations opens on 30 March, with further meetings scheduled on 25 April and 5 May.
*** www.ucea.ac.uk/news-releases/18january22/ - Updated feedback from the recent IA will be calculated and released in the coming days.
UCU’s news release: www.ucu.org.uk/article/12178/UK-universities-to-face-five-more-days-of-strike-action-before-Easter
The Employers’ Statement and list of participating employers for last year can be found at www.ucea.ac.uk/our-work/collective-pay-negotiations-landing/2021-22-nj-round/
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).
UCU’s HEC tries to force members into further IA over last year's pay outcome
HE institutions expressed widespread dismay and disappointment following the UCU’s Higher Education Committee (HEC) decision to force their members into further IA and another reballot, now aimed at disrupting students’ studies as the exam period approaches. UCU’s HEC decided last Friday, without consulting their individual members, to try to inflict further IA at targeted institutions while also reballoting all 146 HE institutions who took part in last year’s pay round on a disaggregated basis.
The move to reballot is a repetition of the HEC’s October call for IA ballot over the 2021-22 pay outcome, resulting in low turnouts and patchy ballot results, with only 54 HE institutions opting for IA from their 146 separate ballots*. UCU has already re-balloted 38 HEIs in January, with success in only 9 of these. This would be a third ballot attempt on a pay offer made ten months ago.
Raj Jethwa, Chief Executive of UCEA, said:
“Although the disruption caused by UCU’s industrial action has been minimal, every missed opportunity for students is unfortunate. That is why the sector is extremely disappointed that UCU’s HEC is trying to reignite yet another bout of strike action. Those HE institutions targeted in recent attempts at strike action did their best to protect students. There is also concern about the impact on the small numbers** of staff at the minority of HE institutions taking action because they are being led unfairly by their union, and they are losing pay over IA conducted by the HEC’s blinkered approach. UCU’s HEC cannot keep encouraging its members to target students who have endured so many recent disruptions.
“UCU members need to know that since Friday’s HEC outcome UCU*** has already provided their joint Heads of Claim for the 2022-23 year to the employer representatives. The claim includes a range of items, new and old. It is surely time for UCU to reassess and allow its representatives to engage constructively in this year’s (2022-23) multi-employer negotiating round which begins this month.”
Notes
* www.ucea.ac.uk/news-releases/5nov21/
** A joint claim made by EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite. The full claim will be issued before the 2022-23 New JNCHES negotiations opens on 30 March, with further meetings scheduled on 25 April and 5 May.
*** www.ucea.ac.uk/news-releases/18january22/ - Updated feedback from the recent IA will be calculated and released in the coming days.
UCU’s news release: www.ucu.org.uk/article/12178/UK-universities-to-face-five-more-days-of-strike-action-before-Easter
The Employers’ Statement and list of participating employers for last year can be found at www.ucea.ac.uk/our-work/collective-pay-negotiations-landing/2021-22-nj-round/
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).
