UCU rejects pay offer but wants to engage on working conditions

The UK’s largest higher education union has indicated that it would be prepared to move forward with a review of working conditions, despite rejecting employers’ final pay offer.

The move marks the latest steps in a long-running dispute, after the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) offered an increase of a minimum increase of 2.5 per cent, rising to 5.7 per cent for the lowest paid in August, only to be rejected multiple times by the University and College Union (UCU).

Now, UCU’s higher education committee (HEC) has confirmed the rejection of the pay offer, but accepts commitments made by Ucea to review university pay spines, contract types, equality pay gaps and workloads. 

The decisions will now be put to a ballot of union members, which is expected to conclude by early November, with the HEC expected to decide on the union’s next steps after this.

Ucea has indicated that, if sector unions do not pursue a ballot for industrial action, employers “will note that the unions have not accepted the pay uplift and will work with the unions to progress the pay-related elements of our offer”.

The union’s decision follows a ballot of UCU branches, which found there was significant support for a ballot on industrial action, with 76 per cent in favour, but a slim majority against actually taking industrial action, with 46 per cent of branches voting in favour compared with 45 per cent who voted against. 

Almost three in five (58 per cent) accepted to engage in negotiations over casualisation, equality pay gaps, workload, and pay spine reform, while two-thirds voted to reject the pay offer.

The union remains in a difficult position, with a prolonged period of strike action over pay and pensions coming to an end last year after only 43 per cent of members voted, missing the 50 per cent minimum turnout requirement.

Ucea has advised universities to implement the first stage of the pay rise, a £900 uplift backdated to 1 August, with the remainder of the rise not due until next March.

Raj Jethwa, Ucea’s chief executive, said the pay offer was “at the very limit of the sector’s affordability”, but added that there was “much good work” employers and unions can do on working conditions.

“This is a positive response to Ucea’s new proposal to progress these important matters jointly with the unions. The proposal is clear; if the unions do not pursue a ballot for industrial action at this stage, the employers will note that the unions have not accepted the pay uplift and will work with the unions to progress these elements of the full and final 2024-25 pay offer. These union and employer priorities include a joint review of the pay spine and joint work on contract types, workload and pay gaps.”

A UCU spokesperson said: “UCU’s higher education committee met on 27 September to consider Ucea’s final offer and voted to reject the pay element of the offer and to accept the terms of reference relating to the pay spine review, workload, casualisation, and equality pay gaps. HEC also voted to launch a consultative ballot on the offer and further details about this will be made available in due course.”

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com