UCU says time to talk as members vote no to negotiation changes

29 February 2008

UCU today called on university employers' representatives to come back to the negotiating table to resolve differences over the mechanics of future negotiating for staff pay and conditions.

Following yesterday's rejection of proposed changes to negotiating arrangements, the union said that now is not the time for posturing or time wasting and that future talks are required as a matter of urgency.

Following a meeting of UCU's higher education committee, general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We will contact the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) to seek discussions as a matter of urgency. I have alerted the other unions in the sector as well in the hope that through mutual respect for each other's positions we can agree to sit back down and work through these proposals, which I think everyone recognises as less than perfect.

'The immediate response to the ballot result from UCEA was predictable but still disappointing. They might not like the ballot result, but trying to undermine it insults our members, their staff, and helps nobody. Posturing and time wasting are in nobody's interests. UCU members have made their feelings quite clear and we all now need to move forward to resolve the situation.

'UCU favours national order over local anarchy, but if some employers decide this is the time to break ranks and actively choose local pay deals they can rest assured that we will robustly defend our members' interests and seek backing from the whole union to defend national bargaining wherever it is under attack.'

Full details of the proposed changes, rejected by UCU members, and the case for and against can be found here.

• Dan Ashley
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