AUT accuses employers of fiddling while Rome burns

8 May 2006

The AUT expressed its dismay at the pay offer made by the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) at today's crunch pay talks.

All three academic trade unions agreed that today's offer falls far short of the pay claim submitted on behalf of members. AUT, NATFHE and EIS have called on UCEA, having consulted with their subscribers, to return to negotiations urgently with an improved and credible offer.

Just last week the employers said: 'We will be putting an improved and realistic pay offer to them [the unions] in the expectation that they will then immediately call off their industrial action and put the offer to their members.'

However, the 'improved' national pay offer made today of just 12.6 per cent over three years is actually worth than less than 11 per cent in cash terms to AUT members.*

At today's meeting Sally Hunt told the employers:

• their national offer did not come close to meeting the pay claim and could not be the basis for a settlement;
• in cash terms the offer is lower than two local offers (made to St Andrews and Aberdeen) of 12.5% over three years, which were last week rejected by AUT;
• the Aberdeen offer had been made by the Chair of UCEA's Scottish Committee, Professor C Duncan Rice;
• she will meet with them wherever they want this week to move negotiations forward;
• they must urgently consult with their subscribers to be in a position to make a credible offer and that AUT members had informally consulted with vice-chancellors and knew they were willing and able to offer more;
• that their offer did not reflect the aspirations of the sector;
• that the assessment boycott would be continuing.

AUT general secretary, Sally Hunt, says she remains committed to finding a national resolution to the dispute as quickly as possible and has urged the employers to consult properly with university vice-chancellors and meet her again to thrash out a deal.

Speaking after the meeting Ms Hunt said she expressed doubts about UCEA's negotiators' ability to settle the dispute. She restated AUT's willingness to meet anytime, anywhere this week in order to get a national settlement.

AUT general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The employers are fiddling whilst Rome burns. Universities are facing legal challenges from their students, graduations risk being shelved and professional bodies are expressing concern over the contingency measures being considered by some institutions. Yet the employers still do not appear to have grasped the severity of the situation.

'We want a swift national settlement and end to this dispute. So do students and so do a vast number of vice-chancellors. Two universities have already made offers locally - rejected by our members - and in one case the offer was made by the chair of UCEA Scotland. This offer does not reflect the aspirations of the sector.

'It is clear from our discussions with a wide range of institutions that UCEA is now the main barrier to a national settlement. The UCEA board must start listening to its member institutions. We will continue to put pressure on them to resume negotiations, but in the meantime we are considering other avenues to try and pursue a national settlement. Sadly, until we do so the crisis in our institutions continues with universities being forced to take increasingly desperate measures to placate their students.'

*Cumulatively AUT estimates that for those not covered by the lump sums, salaries will be 12.61% higher in February 2009 because of the staging of increases. However, the 'cash worth' over the period for AUT members is 10.87%.

The offer

2006/07
August 2006 3% or £515 whichever is greater
February 2007 a further 1%

2007/08
August 2007 3%
February 2008 a further 1% or £200 whichever is greater

2008/09
August 2008 3%
February 2009 a further 1%