Crossing swords over salaries 4

The article "UCU set to fight any pay window" (July 20) may have confused some readers about the details of the current three-year pay deal.

First, the agreement is for three years and has no clause enabling reopening of talks. The next negotiations will take place in spring 2009.

Second, the quote by UCU general secretary Sally Hunt implies that inflation has not been taken into account in the third and final year of the settlement.

As Ms Hunt is well aware, the agreement clearly states that the increase for October 2008 is for 2.5 per cent or the retail prices index figure for September 2008, whichever is the greater. Inflation has already been built in to the agreement.

Alasdair Smith
Chair, Universities and Colleges Employers Association, and vice-chancellor, Sussex University