Universities - Ballot on pay action
WORKERS, FEB 2006 ISSUE
All the university academic unions – Natfhe, AUT and and the Scottish EIS – are currently balloting their membership with a view to joint industrial action on pay. Last year the unions accepted a 3% offer which saw academic salaries falling even further behind pay in other areas of the public sector.
The unions put their claim in early at the start of the academic year. But by January no offer had been made, let alone a generous offer. Vice chancellors and even the prime minister agree that salary levels are unacceptable. It is not unusual for research staff to be paid less than the security guard who checks their pass.
When top-up fees were first mooted, much was made of how the money would be used to improve academic salaries. Indeed the then education minister Alan Johnson told the House of Commons in 2004: "University vice chancellors tell us that, in general, at least one third of the money will be put back into salaries and conditions of their staff. That will make an enormous impact ...".
This pay campaign will effectively be the first joint action of a new union: Natfhe and the AUT have voted to merge, and higher education in England and Wales will henceforward have one union.
As the ballot was launched many academics were invigilating exams and marking. Local branches will need to ensure some collective discussion before the ballot closes on 16 February.