Getting equal through absurdity 1

Little will be achieved by removing pay inequalities within institutions if the basis for unfair discrimination shifts from gender or race to geographical location ("Equality requires commitment", THES April 26). A national pay scale, with equal work paid at an equal rate whether one is female, black, a senior lecturer living in Sutherland or one living in Southampton, should be the aim of union negotiations with the employers.

It is to be hoped that the government will support the removal of unfair discrimination by injecting the funds necessary to remove inequality. But there is no point in pouring more than £300 million into a national quality assurance system if geographical pay inequality leads to different standards of higher education dependent on location. The right to higher education is denied if higher education in Wrexham is somewhat less than higher education in Warwick.

Of course, appropriate discrimination is necessary. It would be nonsense to undermine special effort and commitment by hiking pay without reference to output. It is already absurd to pretend that there is no cost difference between offering a BA course in Surrey and offering the same course in Swansea, or by assuming that the only high cost area in the UK is London. Differential cost of living has to be reflected in the pay packages offered to staff and we do need to distinguish between a rise in basic pay that acknowledges inflation and one that rewards performance or the acceptance of additional responsibilities.

Equity is achieved not by removing discrimination but by permitting only valid discrimination.

Andrew J. Morgan
Swansea