FURTHER industrial action is expected in higher education following the unions' unanimous rejection of the latest pay offer from employers. But the two sides are expected to agree to set up an independent pay commission.
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association offered the eight unions a 5 per cent pay rise over two years at a meeting with arbitration body ACAS late last week. An union rejection is expected this week. Describing the offer as "insulting", lecturers' union Natfhe has already announced a New Year "go-slow". The Association of University Teachers described the proposed settlement as "totally inadequate" and confirmed action would be stepped up. "Taken as a package this offer is actually worse than the last," said AUT general secretary David Triesman. "Members will be very angry indeed."
Unions are angry that the offer is not backdated to the end of the previous settlement last April. This means the rise will amount to 1.66 per cent, only marginally above the original rejected 1.5 per cent offer.
Employers said they were helped by an unexpected Pounds 100 million for higher education in November's Budget. The unions want a bigger slice of it.
UCEA chief executive Steve Rouse said he was astonished by the rejection. "I asked ACAS to get involved because we wanted to start serious negotiations. It was not a question of 'take it or leave it', but a lot of the union representatives just went straight home. I'm flabbergasted."
Unions have condemned a list of conditions attached to the offer. Mr Triesman said employers were "trying to throw in every other pay issue which happens to be lying around" to complicate matters.
The UCEA's attempt to negotiate a job evaluation scheme for higher education staff in parallel with the pay talks was met with anger. The AUT and Natfhe have both withdrawn. Protests also accompanied the UCEA's proposal to remove the unions' right to national bargaining.
But with a rare glimmer of conciliation, a one-off independent pay review commission is to be set up. "We want to bring experts together from all parties to identify just what the pay gap actually is," said Mr Rouse. Unions were not so enthusiastic. "It concedes the principle of pay review while balking at the practice. A pay review body is a permanent solution," said the AUT.
Mr Rouse has asked ACAS to call a further "less formal" meeting.