A new report has cast doubt on claims about public service pay that were made by Chancellor George Osborne in his June 2013 spending review statement. http://www.unison.org.uk/news/research-shows-chancellor-was-wrong-on-pay-progression
TIME TO VOTE ON HIGHER EDUCATION PAY
UNISON’s members in higher education are being balloted for industrial action over the employer’s final pay offer of 1% across all pay points.
The vote opened on 18 September, with ballot papers being sent to members’ homes.
The national higher education service group executive is urging a vote for strike action, demanding an improved offer from the employers.
The pay claim is affordable, and the need to address the loss of income over the last five years for those in the sector is urgent. Living costs have increased by over 15% over the past five years. In that same period, pay increases for most staff have been worth around 2.2%.
This represents a shortfall in pay of around 13% for higher education staff. For someone on point 16 of the pay scale, this would represent a loss of over £1,600 per year.
Over 4,000 workers in the sector are paid less than the living wage of £7.45 per hour (£8.55 in London). This means their income is below that needed for a basic standard of living.
The money is available for an improved offer. The Higher Education Funding Council for England, which funds higher education, produced a report in March, showing that the sector posted record surpluses of over £1 billion.
Members need to use their vote in the ballot.
UNISON is officially urging members to vote for industrial action, sending a clear message to their employers that they are worth more than 1%.
Up-to-date information on the ballot can be found on the higher education pay pages
UNISON BALLOT PAPERS
From 18th September 2013 UNISON ballot papers will be sent to members’ home addresses by the Electoral Reform Society.
Members who do not receive their ballot papers within a week of 18th September can call 0845 355 0845 between 24th September and 12 noon 4th October. UNISONdirect agents will be able to take your details and arrange for a ballot paper to be sent to you (this will take 3 working days to reach you).
The UNISON ballot will close at 5pm on 8th October 2013.
UNISON’s Higher Education Service Group is campaigning nationally for a ‘YES’ vote from members, raising just some of the following points:-
• UNISON’s higher education members are facing a fifth year of pay awards below the cost of living;
• real-terms pay has been cut 13%;
• student numbers are up and cash surpluses in the sector are over £1bn;
• the English higher education funding body (HEFCE) reported in March 2013 that financial results are stronger than those previously projected in June 2012 despite a fall in public funding;
• the median pay package of the highest paid staff in the sector is £242,000.
Please contact your local steward or the branch if you have any questions.
Of the other Higher Education trade unions, UCU and UNITE also rejected the employers’ 1% pay offer and began consulting their members on the final offer with a recommendation to reject. We have no information at the moment about their next steps.
The branch has received information that the UNISON HE Pay Campaign is now under way and information for members can be found via the following link:
There is also information on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UNISONinHigherEducation?ref=hl
UNISON NATIONAL HE BRANCH SEMINAR
The Higher Education branch seminar is an annual event which looks at issues of relevance to activists in the higher education sector.
There will be workshops and keynote speakers on challenging privatisation/shared services, community organising, the living wage campaign.
If you are interested in attending this event further details are available at http://www.unison.org.uk/about/events-and-conferences/upcoming/higher-education-seminar-2013
MARCH AND RALLY IN SUPPORT FOR THE NHS ON 29 SEPTEMBER
All members are encouraged to take part in this demonstration on Sunday 29 September in Manchester.
The NHS is being deprived of adequate funding and parts are being sold off to private companies.
The Branch has arranged for coach transport to the demonstration.
Transport Details for 29th September:-
Tickets – £5 UNISON members and non-members
Depart from Paternoster Road at 9am (please be there by 8.45am as the coach will be leaving at 9am)
The rally will assemble at 11am in Liverpool Road, Manchester City Centre followed by a march.
Depart from Manchester at 4pm (arriving in Sheffield at 6pm at the latest)
If you would like to attend the demonstration please email l.m.wakefield@shu.ac.uk to book your place. Friends and family welcome.
For more information on the campaign from UNISON please visit http://www.unison.org.uk/our-campaigns/unison-campaigns/999-answer-the-call-for-your-nhs/home/
INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT
UNISON wants fair pay for all higher education staff and the Higher Education Service Group Executive is recommending that members vote yes for strike action in the forthcoming ballot to be conducted during September. Please can all members ensure that your contact details are up to date (name, address etc), so that you don’t miss out on your ballot papers.
You can manage your own membership details here:
http://www.unison.org.uk/my-unison/welcome
If you haven’t used the site before, you will need to register using your membership number. Once you have access to the “Welcome to MY UNISON” page, click onto “mydetails” in the bottom left hand corner. Go to “check and update details” or “Edit my details” (Bottom right hand corner of the screen)
If you have any problems accessing MY UNISON please ring 0845 355 0845, not the Branch.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK AT YOUR UNIVERSITY? HAVE YOUR SAY
“Times Higher Education are running a “Best University Workplace” survey asking staff what’s it like to work at their institution. The link is here: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.aspx?storyCode=2005875. A “.ac.uk” email address is required to complete the survey.
UNISON’s Education service group, recognising the challenges facing workers in the sector including job losses, outsourcing, increased workloads, low pay, and pay awards well below the cost of living, has asked members to participate in the survey to make sure it accurately reflects those issues. “
UNISON ACTIVITIES ON CAMPUS
24 July – stall in the Main University entrance.
31 July – UNISON Advice Surgery 10111 Arundel
14 August – (tbc)
21 August – stall Level 6 above main entrance
28 August – Advice Surgery 10111 Arundel
If you are interested in attending an advice surgery please contact c.hammerton@unsion.co.uk to book an appointment.
PENSIONS UPDATE
The new Local Government Pension Scheme (in our region known as the South Yorkshire Pension Scheme) comes into being on 1 April 2014. The Public Service Pensions Act became law in April this year. This legislation was necessary to allow the existing schemes to be changed, and the detail of how the scheme will work in included in draft regulations currently out for consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-2014).
For more information on the progress of the design of the new scheme, see: http://www.lgps2014.org/.
UNISON has concerns about the extension of “fair deal” protection to LGPS members, which has not yet been finalised. “Fair deal” means that if a public service is privatised, workers are allowed to maintain membership of the LGPS. UNISON believes that this protection was built into the agreement on reform of the LGPS and that therefore all scheme members should be covered, and is making representations to that effect.
HIGHER EDUCATION PAY CAMPAIGN – UNISON MEMBERS TO BE BALLOTED FOR INDUSTRIAL ACTION
The UNISON Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) is urging members to strike for better pay, following the employers’ refusal to improve the 1% offer.
UNISON believes that the money is available for a better pay increase, and that Higher Education employers can afford to improve on their offer.
Over the last 5 years, as a result of pay rises below the cost of living, our lowest paid members have lost the equivalent income of between £663 – £1173. UNISON believes that no employees in higher education should be paid less than the national Living Wage and that it is time for incomes for everyone in the sector to match the rising costs of living.
According to a recent freedom of information request, the median pay of the highest paid members of staff in the higher education sector (including pension contributions and other pay related elements) was £242,000 with the highest paid employee receiving over £500,000 per year! There is money available for some – we believe it should be available for all.
UNISON believes that evidence from the employer’s shows that the financial position of the higher education is healthy and shows signs of expansion with the number of employees in the HE sector showing an increase for management, academic and support staff by over 4,000 between 1/8/11 and 1/8/12.
Although during the same period some universities have made redundancies, this is not reflected across all HEI’s and we believe that this is further evidence that the sector has the money to make an improved pay offer that fairly reflects the contribution of our members.
The HESGE believe that the only way for an improved pay offer from the employers is for members to take strike action, and show the University employers that enough is enough and that pay matters.
UNISON consulted members on whether the offer should be accepted, and the majority of those responding said they would not accept it. Therefore the HESGE has decided to ballot members for industrial action in September. If members vote for action, this would be likely to take place in the autumn.
Remember: your vote does count.
We will be arranging Branch meetings to allow members to discuss the pay offer and campaign for a better deal.
It is important that before the ballot we have accurate contact details for all members. In our branch we have done a lot of work over recent years to make sure that our records are up to date. However, we know that members are constantly on the move, and so if you have changed your name, phone number, email address or postal address, please make sure you have told us.
You can update your details by emailing Jo, our branch administrator.
Or call UNISONDirect on 0845 355 0845.
Or manage your details online here: http://www.unison.org.uk/my-unison/