A good deal on offer or a sellout? 5

Universities are set to receive a substantial increase in income over the next three years through government initiatives. What is in dispute is how this extra funding, together with the annual recurring funding, should/will be used.

Inflation rose to 2.2 per cent in May 2006, with the retail price index up to 2.9 per cent. What do our employers do? Answer: offer a cash pay increase of 3.52 per cent, 3.77 per cent and 2.08 per cent for the next three years. The pay catch-up value is not impressive; probably in the region of 1 per cent above the likely rate of inflation except for in year three.

Resist the urge to resign from the union over the miserly offer. Instead, use your vote to show our employers and the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who wanted an offer to be put to a ballot, what you think of the offer.

Andrew Todd

Belfast