Vote YES to strike for the pay we deserve!

This week, you should receive a ballot for industrial action on the ‘zero offer’ for the pay year 2021. I am sure you will also receive numerous communications from the employer that seek to undermine UNISON’s campaign for fair pay for university staff.

UNISON senior representatives are adamant that the 0% for 2020/21 deserves to be challenged, and based on the results of consultations with members, our branch has opted to join this strike ballot.

University finances have withstood the various crises brought on by the pandemic, and other parts of Scottish public services still awarded pay rises of 3% or more in 2020/21.

Your colleagues in further education, in a sector that reports to the same Scottish Funding Council and same Scottish Government minister, received 2% or £750, whichever was greater. They also won further improvements in their secondary terms and conditions. This shows it is possible to protect jobs and deliver pay settlements much better than 0%.

In that context, the intransigence of the universities at UK negotiations cannot be justified. A slightly improved offer for the following pay year (again, below other pay offers in Scottish public services) does not make the 0% right.

When your ballot arrives at home, please vote YES as soon as you can, and let the branch know that you have voted so we don’t need to contact you to follow up.

If you’re not minded to vote for action, please still vote, as low turnouts make us look weak, and encourage employers to make further insulting offers to hard-working staff.

Please also encourage your colleagues to use their vote, and to join the union if they haven’t already.

HE Pay Ballot 2020/21   #WorthMoreThanNothing

Categories: Ballot | Campaigns | Members | Pay

Vote NOW for Better Pay!

Why you should vote YES for strike action... The offer is a real terms pay cut   - The pay offer just 1.8% (with lowest paid staff between 1.8 and 3.65%)   - Find out how much you have lost using our PAY CALCULATOR Our pay claim was much higher than the offer   - The joint union claim was for 3% +RPI, or a minimum increase of £3,349 UNISON believes we should reject the offer and vote YES for strike action Your ballot papers should be with you already - if you haven't received them please contact UNISONDirect on 0800 0 857 857  EVERY VOTE COUNTS   We need the strongest possible mandate to show the employers the strength of feeling about the pay cuts in HE  Also, under new Tory legislation, over 50% of members eligible to vote must return their ballot for the vote to be valid.  Don't leave it to one side - return it immediately! Make sure all your friends and colleagues vote YES for strike action. UNISON Higher Education Pay Ballot     UNISON Higher Education

Categories: Ballot | Campaigns | Pay

Higher Education Ballot Result

UNISON members working in higher education in England, Scotland and Wales have voted for industrial action to press their wage claim – but the turnout wasn’t enough to meet the threshold for strikes set out in the 2017 Trade Union Act.

That act does not apply in Northern Ireland, and the union is still awaiting the result of its ballot of members there.

UNISON’s higher education service group executive considered the result in England, Scotland and wales and stated: “We would like to thank those activists, branches and regions that put in significant work to achieve the result.

“Unfortunately and frustratingly the government’s anti-democratic trade union laws, which impose a very high turnout threshold, mean that we are not able to fulfil our members’ wishes.”

It also warned that “this outcome will only further fuel the anger of our members who face yet another year of a below inflation pay rise. No university should be pay any staff less than the living wage and employers should be ashamed that some of their staff are forced to go to food banks.”

UNISON’s higher education branch seminar next week will review the pay campaign, “take heart at the positives and build for the next pay negotiations,” the executive noted.

“This result will inform our approach to next year’s pay negotiations and the employers should be in no doubt that we will again call for action if the HE employers do not meet our aspirations for a fair above inflation pay offer.”

Categories: Campaigns | Pay

Vote YES for Strike Action over HE Pay

Why you should vote YES for strike action... The offer is a real terms pay cut   - The current rate of Inflation is 3.2%; the pay offer just 2%   - Find out how much you have lost using our PAY CALCULATOR We have had years of below inflation pay rises   - HE Pay has fallen 21% compared to inflation in the last 10 years Our pay claim was much higher than the offer   - The joint union claim was for 7.5% UNISON believes we should reject the offer and vote YES for strike action Your ballot papers should be with you by 21st September - if you don't receive them please contact UNISONDirect on 0800 0 857 857  EVERY VOTE COUNTS   We need the strongest possible mandate to show the employers the strength of feeling about the pay cuts in HE  Also, under new Tory legislation, over 50% of members eligible to vote must return their ballot for the vote to be valid.  Don't leave it to one side - return it immediately! Make sure all your friends and colleagues vote YES for strike action. UNISON Higher Education Pay Ballot     UNISON Higher Education

Categories: Campaigns | Pay

Branch Members REJECT HE Pay Offer

The local branch consultation on the national Higher Education pay offer has now closed with members rejecting the employers offer by over a two thirds majority (69% reject, 31% accept).

UNISON’s higher education service group executive said it “was clear that the offer falls well short of its aims. Recent years have seen a series of below inflation pay rises that are making it increasingly difficult for higher education support staff to make ends meet. We ask the employers to think again.”

Branches across the country are currently being consulted and the overall result will be available in August.  If the results elsewhere match those here, the HE Service Group executive will consider what further action is required, and will seek to co-ordinate any action with our sister unions involved in the pay negotiations.  We'll update members as soon as we have further information.

For more information see the the national Higher Education News website.

Categories: Branch | Campaigns | Consultation | Pay

Pay Offer for 2017 is "best that can be achieved through negotiation"

Categories: Campaigns | Members | Pay

Vote "YES" for Strike Action

UPDATE:  (Sept 2016) The result of the ballot was to only narrowly in favour of strike action.  The HE Executive therefore took the decision not to proceed with Industrial Action in this instance.

UNISON is balloting members in higher education, urging them to vote ‘Yes’ for strike action for better pay. The decision of the higher education  service group executive was taken following a consultation with branches. The employers have so far refused to increase their 1.1% offer for the majority of staff that also does not deliver the Living Wage for the lowest paid.

Make sure you VOTE in the ballot - papers are being sent direct to members homes.

The average pay rise for Vice Chancellors in 2014/15 was a whopping 6.1% rising to an average of £274,405!

UNISON has called the offer ‘deeply hypocritical’ - as staff are offered a miserly 1.1% to cover their rising household bills - while at the same Vice Chancellors have called for a 2.8% increase in tuition fees in England to cover University ‘costs’.

Despite low inflation, essential costs such as water bills, public transport and car parking have all gone up this year.

UNISON believes that an increase is affordable - money is available for a higher pay increase this year universities holding cash surpluses of nearly £21billion! And the need for our members is urgent.

The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales reported a total surplus of £60m, while the English funding body (HEFCE) reported in March 2016 a surplus of nearly £1.8bn! Scotland Universities posted a surplus of £166m and Northern Ireland had a surplus of £27m.

UNISON believes that universities can afford to improve on their miserly offer.

For more information see the Higher Education Pay 2016 website.

Categories: Campaigns | Pay