27 April 2015

UCU said universities could afford to pay more than the 0.9% offer that was tabled at talks between the higher education unions and the employers on Friday.

The unions said the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) had to address key sections of the pay claim relating to equality ahead of the next meeting on Tuesday 12 May.

UCU said the employers needed to stop trying to link the pay talks to incremental pay progression, which less than half of staff actually receive, and deal with the real-terms drop in members’ pay that has seen the value of their pay fall by 15% in recent years.

UCU head of bargaining, Michael MacNeil, said:

‘Staff working in higher education want to see an offer which keeps up with the cost of living and seeks to address the fall in the value of members’ pay over recent years.

We are disappointed that the employers are playing to the gallery in trying to link incremental progression with these pay negotiations, but are showing no desire to address many of the issues set out in our equality claim.

UCEA needs to review its position ahead of the final meeting on 12 May.’

Jenny Sherrard
press@ucu.org.uk|
Tel:020 7756 2596
Fax:020 7756 2501

Dear colleague,

There are now just two weeks to go until the Westminster general election. I know that many of you are active in campaigning locally either for the party you support or on issues that matter to you. I also know that almost every member I speak to, whatever their opinions, recognises the importance of the election to the future of further and higher education.

UCU is of course independent of all political parties so while we would strongly encourage you use your democratic right to vote, we will never tell you who to vote for.

I have been asked by many members to provide factual information on the major parties’ policies towards further and higher education and other issues of importance to staff. To help members, we have therefore created a web site where you can compare the parties’ positions.

The site is here

I hope you find it a useful resource.

Best wishes

Sally Hunt
UCU general secretary

Following the success of the London region lobby of parliament on Wednesday 18 March to which several hundred members and students attended, the campaign against the cuts continues to win widespread support. All members are called on to actively support ‘love FE day’ next Thursday 26 March which aims to celebrate lifelong learning and calls for a STOP to the potentially devastating proposed cuts to further education (FE). UCU and our campaign partners ask you to mark the day by highlighting the importance of FE and what all of our communities stand to lose if these cuts go ahead. Please ensure that you take part in as many of the suggested activities below that you can:

• sign and circulate the petition to stop the cuts (nearly 20,000 people have signed already)

• take a photo with our poster (or create your very own!) and please send to campaigns@ucu.org.uk and tweet using #loveFE

• Tell us why you Love FE – photos and messages will be displayed on the joint campaign website here

• Make contact with your local general election candidates about the funding cuts using our online tool

• Already 40 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling to stop the cuts. Has YOUR MP signed yet?

• Download and circulate this ten-point charter to all your colleagues for the future of further and adult education and our briefing on the cuts.

• Please tweet using #loveFE tag and let us know about any other activities you have planned.

Thousands of you have written on the petition describing how adult education transforms and enriches our lives. These cuts could be a deathblow to FE and we need to build a groundswell of opposition to force the coalition, the devolved governments and whoever is in Westminster after 7 May, to think again. Please support ‘love FE day’ on Thursday 26 March.

Ballots for contested positions open on Monday 2 February and close at noon on Friday 27 February 2015.

UCU’s national elections are now open and members will have begun to receive ballot material this week. All members are encouraged to vote. Further information about the elections, including the election addresses of all candidates, can be found here.

Ballot material is being dispatched on Monday 2 February by economy delivery. This can take a few days to arrive. If you have not received the ballot material by Tuesday 10 February you should contact the union, email Catherine Wilkinson or Kay Metcalfe, providing full name, membership number, branch, and the full postal address at which the ballot paper should have been received.

The union’s free CPD programme for members continues to grow and we have just added new downloadable guides on topics including assertiveness, mentoring and time management to the online resources. Please check the Learning for Life blogsite http://cpd.web.ucu.org.uk/ for CPD courses taking place across the country.

Government terror legislation under fire from sector

The government’s efforts to include universities in controversial new terror legislation has been widely criticised by the sector. Writing in Times Higher Education, the vice-chancellor of Essex University, Anthony Forster, says the new laws would see universities become agents of the state and limit freedom to conduct research, teach, speak, and publish without interference or penalty. Forster is also one of a host of signatories to a letter in the Times criticising the plans. As the Guardian reports, even Tory peers have joined the criticism.

UCU is campaigning against proposals in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill that the union believes would represent a draconian crackdown on academic freedom and you are invited to sign and circulate our petition calling on government to withdraw the plans.

UCU’s higher education committee (HEC) met on Tuesday 14th January. HEC has decided to seek members’ views on new proposals aimed at resolving the current dispute. The proposals do provide some improvement in accrual rates and an increase in the earnings cap but also include proposed increases in members’ contributions. The action which was due to resume on Friday 16 January is suspended while the union consults members.

The union is now making urgent arrangements with the Electoral Reform Society to conduct an online ballot of members regarding acceptance or rejection of the proposals as soon as practically possible.

Please visit us today at our stall outside the Student Advice Hub.  UCU are raising awareness of the consultation on a proposed higher education governance bill.

The consultation invites comments and views on proposals to legislate on the role of the Privy Council; define academic freedom; the selection of chairs of governing bodies including that they be elected; more representative governing bodies, and that academic boards be fully representative and effective.

Information on the consultation is at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2014/11/2389

National petition to the Universities UK board at the USS institutions meeting on Thursday 4 December in London.

Over 10,000 of you have now signed our mass petition re USS. Thank you! Can you help us reach 15,000? PLEASE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SIGN: https://www.ucu.org.uk/demandafairuss

All the best,

Sally Hunt,

General Secretary