The framework in post-92 institutions

• to ensure that every post-1992 institution in England, Wales and Northern Ireland implements the agreement with an effective date of 1 August 2006;
• to ensure that every post-1992 institution uses the Appendix C grading structure to enable this structure to be improved through national collective bargaining;
• to ensure that the library of academic role profiles is used to grade academic staff;
• to maintain the integrity of the academic career pathway by ensuring that no academics are graded below pay point 30 on the national pay spine in grade Ac2;
• to significantly improve equality in the HE sector particularly for hourly paid lecturers.

UCU post-92 branches were asked to commence work on implementation in April 2004 by securing a commitment from their employer to use the Appendix C pay structure as the basis for local implementation.

This ensured that all local discussions were based on the template of the Appendix C grades. Branches were also asked to secure new additional facility time to enable activists to carry out the necessary work on role analysis and grading.

By August 2005 all but 4 of over 70 post-1992 institutions had provided the commitment to use Appendix C as the basis of negotiations with employers aware that progress towards implementation can only be made if the institution either agrees to use Appendix C without amendment or agrees a genuinely beneficial variation with UCU.

By March 2008, 42 institutions had completed negotiations with UCU, and this figure has since risen. The time taken highlights the significant capacity problems within institutions which are unprepared for the significant challenges of implementation.